Information technology (IT) in Pakistan is a thriving industry with significant potential for growth. [1] [2] The Ministry of Information Technology oversees its development. Despite financial crises, the IT sector has consistently demonstrated economic success. [3] [4]
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. [5] During this period, the emphasis was placed on quality IT education in universities rather than numbers. [6] [7]
The Telecom Policy was announced in December 2015, [8] and later the National Digital Pakistan Policy was approved by the cabinet in May 2018. [9]
The period from 2013 to 2018 witnessed a landmark revolution in the sector following the launch of 3G/4G technologies. [10]
According to Bloomberg, 2021 was a record year for Pakistan's technology sector, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 China tech crackdown. [11]
The Government of Pakistan has prioritized Information technology as a key component of its efforts to establish an "Information age" within the country. [12] Significant progress has been made in developing efficient computerized e-government systems for major departments, including the police, law enforcement agencies, and district administration. [12] The National Database and Registration Authority (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. [12]
According to a study published by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Pakistan has been highly exposed to Information Technology while pursuing the concepts of e-governance and e-commerce:
Pakistan's communication system is also reliable. This has now fully graduated into the email, Internet and IT culture perse. The country is fast exploring the brave new world of information technology and keenly assimilating the requirements of e-government and e-commerce. Information technology has opened a new business frontier for Pakistan. The government is assigning high priority to information technology both in terms of policy limelight and resource allocation.
— United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, 2002 [13]
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.
The Center for Research in Urdu Language Processing (CRULP) conducts research and development in linguistic and computational aspects of Urdu, as well as other languages of Pakistan, in areas such as speech processing, computational linguistics and script processing. [14]
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 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 (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.
Telecommunications had an early beginning in Mauritius, with the first telephone line installed in 1883, seven years after the invention of the telephone. Over the years, the network and telephony improved. By the late 20th century, the rapid development and convergence of information and telecommunications technologies gave rise to an ICT industry on the island along with many incentives provided by the government. The government thus aims to make the ICT sector the 5th pillar of the Mauritian economy and Mauritius a Cyber Island. Historically, the country is known for tourism, rather than its call centers and business process outsourcing.
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is one of the five regional commissions under the jurisdiction of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. It was established in order to increase economic activity in Asia and the Far East, as well as to foster economic relations between the region and other areas of the world.
The economy of Asia comprises about 4.7 billion people living in 50 different nations. Asia is the fastest growing economic region, as well as the largest continental economy by both GDP Nominal and PPP in the world. Moreover, Asia is the site of some of the world's longest modern economic booms.
Mehran University of Engineering & Technology is a public research university located in Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan focused on STEM education.
The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics is a post-graduate research institute and a public policy think tank located in the vicinity of Islamabad, Pakistan.
Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) (Urdu: مقتدرہِ ضابطہِ برقی ذرائع ابلاغ پاکستان) is an independent and constitutionally established federal institution responsible for regulating and issuing channel licenses for establishment of the mass media culture, print and electronic media.
The Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, commonly referred to as SUPARCO, is the national space agency of Pakistan.
The Urdu keyboard is any keyboard layout for Urdu computer and typewriter keyboards. Since the first Urdu typewriter was made available in 1911, the layout has gone through various phases of evolution. With time, the variety of layouts introduced in the 1950s for mechanized compositions have reduced to very few that are compatible with the new digital age. Modern improvements in Urdu keyboard were pioneered by the National Language Authority in Pakistan, which standardized the linguistic aspects such as orthography and lexicography. These developments helped the keyboard layout to evolve from the typewriters to be compatible with computers, to increase the productivity and textual efficiency of the language, especially through modern electronic media.
The Internet in Pakistan has been available since the early 1990s. Pakistan has over 140 million internet users, making it the 7th-largest population of internet users in the world.
InPage is a word processor and page layout software by Concept Software Pvt. Ltd., an Indian information technology company. It is used for languages such as Urdu, Arabic, Balti, Balochi, Burushaski, Pashto, Persian, Punjabi, Sindhi and Shina under Windows and macOS. It was first developed in 1994 and is primarily used for creating pages in Urdu, using the Nasta`līq (نستعلیق) style of Arabic script.
National Resource Centre for Free/Open Source Software (NRCFOSS) is an organisation created and financed in India by the Department of Information Technology, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Government of India in April 2005.
Gurpreet Singh Lehal is a professor in the Computer Science Department, Punjabi University, Patiala and Director of the Advanced Centre for Technical Development of Punjabi Language Literature and Culture. He is noted for his work in the application of computer technology in the use of the Punjabi language both in the Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi script.
The Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT) was founded on the joint initiatives of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
The Medium Term Development Framework, is a policy measure programme of the Government of Pakistan drafted by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Coordination Committee and the Planning Commission of Pakistan, formulated to strengthen the national economy and civil infrastructure.
Anusha Rahman Ahmad Khan is a Pakistani politician who served as Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, in the Abbasi cabinet from April to May 2018. Previously she served as the Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication of Pakistan from June 2013 to July 2017 in the third Sharif ministry and again from August 2017 to April 2018 in the Abbasi ministry. She had been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from 2008 to May 2018 representing the Pakistan Muslim League (N). In the 2024 Pakistani Senate election, Anusha emerged victorious in the senate seats reserved for women.
Dr. Sailendra Narain is a development finance specialist born in Nawadah, Bihar Province, India. For over 40 years, Narain has been a pioneer in developing the global SME sector. His specialities include: designing policy frameworks for SME Growth, establishing SME financing programs in banking and development financial institutions, and capacity building for SMEs with a focus on Entrepreneurship.
The United Nations Network of Experts for Paperless Trade and Transport in Asia and the Pacific (UNNExT) is a community of trade facilitation specialists and practitioners focusing on simplifying import, export and transit procedures by enabling traders and governments to exchange information electronically and through automated and integrated systems, including national and regional Single window. The Network has made significant contributions to the development of Trade facilitation and Paperless trade in the region.
V. R. Panchamukhi, is an Indian Economist and Sanskrit scholar. He was born on September 17, 1936, in Dharwad, Karnataka. He is the eldest son of Vidyaratna Shri R. S. Panchamukhi, an archaeologist and indologist and Sanskrit Scholar.
Information Communications Technology is usually included in the Home Economics and Livelihood Education program in grade school and taught through the Technology and Home Economics program in high school. The recent status of ICT education in the Philippines, along with other Southeast Asian countries, was surveyed by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) in 2011. Using the UNESCO model of ICT Development in Education, the countries were ranked as Emerging, Applying, Infusing or Transforming. The Philippines were ranked at the Infusing stage of integrating ICT in education, indicating that the country has integrated ICT into existing teaching, learning and administrative practices and policies. This includes components such as a national vision of ICT in education, national ICT plans and policies, complementary national ICT and education policies, professional development for teachers and school leaders, community or partnership and teaching and learning pedagogies. A 2012 study reported that public high schools in Metro Manila had a computer to student ratio of 1:63. While 88 percent of schools have internet connections, half of the students claimed not to be using it.
Science and technology in Kazakhstan – government policies to develop science, technology and innovation in Kazakhstan.
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