Riyadh / Karachi / Islamabad: Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Federal Minister of State for Information Technology & Telecom (MoITT) of Pakistan, has apprised that Saudi companies, entrepreneurs, investors and business groups are expected to invest in Pakistan’s growing IT industry – and, LEAP 2025 in Riyadh will be highly-productive for the country vis-a-vis export growth, IT industry’s expansion and employment generation.
Pakistan’s IT Minister was speaking as the Chief Guest at Pakistan x Saudi Business Forum 2025; which was collaboratively organized by the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) and Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) in Riyadh on Saturday – the top IT bodies of Pakistan.
Sajjad Mustafa Syed, Chairman P@SHA, maintained that, despite all odds and challenges, private-sector and the IT industry performed exceedingly well – and, achieved $348 million in IT exports in December 2024. The pace of growth in skills development; onboarding of new hi-tech verticals; domestic expansion & foreign direct investment (FDI) into the IT industry; large pool of young, committed IT professionals and perseverance of the IT companies have made it possible, P@SHA Chief added.
Sajjad Mustafa Syed stated that 425 senior, high-profile guests from the international IT fraternity; Pakistani & Saudi Government’ officials; diplomat community; CEOs and Country Directors of big IT companies from across the world; large-scale importers of IT services and investors attended the dinner and networking session at Pakistan x Saudi Business Forum.
Muhammad Umair Nizam, Senior Vice Chairman and the Brand Chair of P@SHA, stressed that the IT industry remained positive and on-course during multiple challenges encountered last year. We did not heed to the negative propaganda against the IT industry of Pakistan; and, not only expanded our base; but also, created more jobs and fulfilled bigger export orders successfully, he added.
H. E. Mr. Ahmed Farooq, Ambassador of Pakistan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), acknowledged the endeavors of P@SHA that it is making a huge mark in LEAP 2025 and the important events embedded with the mega event. It gives the world a much needed impression of the collective efforts of the Pakistani government and private-sector aimed at projecting and positioning the country as the next big tech destination of the world, he added.
H. E. Ms. Demaah AlYahya, Secretary General of Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) – an international intergovernmental organization founded in 2020 by Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia – a multilateral organization focusing on fostering international cooperation among key stakeholders to accelerate the growth of an inclusive and sustainable digital economy. She also highlighted that P@SHA has been awarded an observer status in DCO last year.
Mr. Abu Bakar, CEO PSEB, explained that the objective to take P@SHA onboard was to have the maximum participation of IT companies in the Pakistan x Saudi Business Forum and LEAP 2025. Because, P@SHA, being the sole and apex trade body of the entire IT industry, has tangible connections and working relationships in all sub-sectors and verticals – across length and breadth of Pakistan and beyond, he added.
