Information technology (IT) in Pakistan is a thriving industry with significant potential for growth. The Ministry of Information Technology oversees its development. Despite financial crises, the IT sector has consistently demonstrated economic success.

Overview

The first IT policy and implementation strategy was approved under the leadership of Atta-ur-Rahman, the Federal Minister of Science and Technology, in August 2000. This laid the groundwork for the development of the sector. During this period, the emphasis was placed on quality IT education in universities rather than numbers. The Telecom Policy was announced in December 2015, and later the National Digital Pakistan Policy was approved by the cabinet in May 2018. The period from 2013 to 2018 witnessed a landmark revolution in the sector following the launch of 3G/ 4G technologies. According to

Bloomberg Bloomberg may refer to: People * Daniel J. Bloomberg (1905–1984), audio engineer * Georgina Bloomberg (born 1983), professional equestrian * Michael Bloomberg (born 1942), American businessman and founder of Bloomberg L.P.; politician a ...

, 2021 was a record year for Pakistan's technology sector, due in part to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

and the 2021 China tech crackdown.

E-government

The

Government of Pakistan The Government of Pakistan () (abbreviated as GoP), constitutionally known as the Federal Government, commonly known as the Centre, is the national authority of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, a federal republic located in South Asia, con ...

has prioritized Information technology as a key component of its efforts to establish an "Information age" within the country. Significant progress has been made in developing efficient computerized

e-government E-government (known for electronic government) involves utilizing technology devices, such as computers and the Internet, for faster means of delivering public services to citizens and other persons in a country or region. E-government offer ...

systems for major departments, including the police, law enforcement agencies, and district administration. The

National Database and Registration Authority The National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) () is an independent and autonomous agency under the control of the Interior Secretary of Pakistan that regulates Government database, Government Databases and statistically manages the sen ...

(NADRA) has also implemented computerized registration systems for issuing essential documents such as national identity cards, passports, and permanent residency cards. IT has played a crucial role in streamlining work procedures for the civil service and other government-related sectors. According to a study published by the UN

Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific An economy is an area of the production, distribution and trade, as well as consumption of goods and services. In general, it is defined as a social domain that emphasize the practices, discourses, and material expressions associated with ...

(ESCAP), Pakistan has been highly exposed to Information Technology while pursuing the concepts of e-governance and

e-commerce E-commerce (electronic commerce) refers to commercial activities including the electronic buying or selling products and services which are conducted on online platforms or over the Internet. E-commerce draws on technologies such as mobile co ...

Local-language computing

In 1994, Concept Software Pvt Ltd, an Indian software company, collaborated with Multilingual Solutions, a UK based company, to develop InPage Urdu for Pakistan's newspaper industry.

Urdu

The Center for Research in Urdu Language Processing (CRULP) conducts research and development in linguistic and computational aspects of

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

, as well as other languages of Pakistan, in areas such as speech processing, computational linguistics and script processing.

Sindhi

Sindhi has also been digitised to make it easier to publish Sindhi newspapers, magazines and books. InPage also offers support for Sindhi with the proper fonts and ligatures which makes it easier for people to type in the Sindhi language without any difficulty.

Software development in Pakistan

Software development is a rapidly growing field in Pakistan. The government has actively supported this growth through various programs that encourage software development and exports. Pakistani IT companies have successfully developed software for a wide range of businesses and services. Locally developed software packages are available at affordable prices for schools, hospitals, supermarkets, and other organizations. Large-scale control systems, such as

Enterprise Resource Planning Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is the integrated management of main business processes, often in real time and mediated by software and technology. ERP is usually referred to as a category of business management software—typically a suit ...

(ERP) systems, have also been developed for use in textile, pharmaceutical, food, beverage, and other industries. The increasing popularity of Android smartphones, tablets, and Apple iPads has significantly boosted the mobile applications development industry. With minimal capital investment, individuals can easily develop these applications from home using a personal computer and an internet connection. Educational institutions have also responded to the growing demand by offering diplomas and short courses in software and application development for young people.

References

External links

{{Asia topic, Information technology in