The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication was informed on that Pakistan’s share in the global IT market is less than 0.04 percent.
The committee, led by Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, convened to assess the performance of the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and the Electronic Certification Accreditation Council (ECAC).
The PSEB, originally established as the Private Software Export Board in 1995, operates under a seven-member Board of Directors. Currently, 26,000 IT companies are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).
Despite the global IT market’s massive valuation of $5 trillion, Pakistan’s contribution remains minimal. IT products accounted for 24 percent of the sector’s growth this year, consistent with last year’s rate.
Pakistan’s IT exports are primarily directed to the US (54%), followed by Europe (21%), Gulf countries (10%), and the Asia Pacific region (14%).
The country hosts a diverse range of IT firms, including 2,124 web design services, 452 network security firms, and 616 data storage and management companies. Additionally, there are 3,463 IT consulting firms, 870 social media consulting companies, 465 email marketing firms, 664 IT help desk companies, 940 cloud service providers, and 81 repair service companies.
During the meeting, concerns were raised about the transparency of training programs, particularly the HR-ICT Internship Program, which has trained 3,500 interns over six months with a monthly stipend of Rs. 20,000.
The committee demanded detailed information about the interns, including their names, provinces, and selection criteria, as well as the revenue generated by these programs and its utilization.
The committee called for a comprehensive report on the training programs, including quality control measures and funding sources. Senator Anusha Rehman criticized the PSEB’s data, highlighting discrepancies in reporting years and requesting complete data for previous years.
Concerns were also raised about the hiring practices for the Secretary of the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication, who was appointed on a contractual basis rather than from the Federal Service Pool. The committee discussed the frequent changes in secretaries and the suitability of candidates from grades 21 and 22.
Senator Afnanullah questioned the lack of qualified officers and the rationale behind hiring a contractual secretary. The committee requested that the Secretary Establishment attend the next meeting with full details on this matter.
