IT companies raises by 592 in two years: Ministry report

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Information Technology (IT) and Telecommunications in its two-year performance report has said that the number of IT companies in Pakistan increased by 592 to 2,354 by the end of June 2020.

According to the report, due to the increasing demands of modern technology, the companies in Pakistan increased by 592 to 2,354 by the end of June 2020 as compared to 1,762 IT companies as of June 2018.

In its performance report, the ministry said that the IT-enabled Services (ITeS) export remittances comprising computer services and call centers were expected to reach $1.2 billion by the end of FY 2019-20, as compared to $831.35 million achieved in FY 2018-19.

The report delineated the initiatives taken by the IT ministry for the realization of the telecommunication objectives in the past two years which include National Incubation Centers (NIC) Programmes.

In addition to National ICT Grassroots Initiative, DigiSkills.pk, SEED Funded Projects, Universal Service Fund (USF) Projects, Special Communication Organisation (SCO) Contributions, Technology Park Islamabad, and the Telecom Foundation.

Similarly, the Grassroots Initiative of the IT ministry gives financial support to final year undergraduate students of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) related disciplines.

The report said the project was initiated on January 6, 2020, and within 40 days 2,832 applications were received out of which 1,040 applications received funding in the first half of FY 2020-21.

The ministry also said that three cellular mobile operators’ licenses – for Jazz, Zong and Telenor – were up for renewal by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in 2019.

The policy order for the same was issued on May 9, 2019, after extensive discussion and endorsement by the committees formed by the prime minister Imran Khan, the report said.

Partial payment of $687.8 million (50 percent) was deposited by the telecom operators, the report informed.

The report also said that the satellite services plan has the potential to raise $600 to $700 million for the National Space Programme till 2030 in addition to indirect profits related to the advancement of indigenous space technology.

Other projects of the IT ministry include Spectrum Auction for which the process has been launched, and an incentive package has been suggested by the ministry which also includes a policy for smartphone manufacturing, as per the report.