Ministry of IT and Telecommunication has constituted a task force on Industry Data Collection, aimed at providing facilities to IT companies and freelancers communities through different initiatives, which will result in increased export income.
The newly formed task force is armed with a high-stakes mission:
- Precision Mapping of Talent and Exports: A never-before attempt to digitally map freelancers, remote workers, and software companies, tracking their credentials, earnings, export potential, and global presence.
- Regulatory Overhaul for Growth: A dedicated Digital Economy Cell to streamline marketing, international client outreach, and cut red tape holding back Pakistan’s tech talent.
- Tax Fairness and Dollar Inflows: A clear distinction between freelancers and remote workers to end tax chaos and incentivize official foreign currency inflows.
- Talent Upskilling Revolution: Free training, co-working hubs, mentorship, and zero-cost certifications to produce globally competitive digital professionals.
- Performance-Linked Rewards: New KPIs to reward top exporters and push Pakistan up the global IT export rankings.
The ministry is working to provide facilitations to the IT industry and the freelancers’ community through different initiatives, including marketing events for freelancers and IT companies in different cities and countries. The ministry has planned to aid capacity building of IT professionals and freelancers through free training/mentorship content/workshops, laptop schemes, and co-working hubs.
IT companies and freelancers will be provided additional annual incentives, including free credits for bringing money officially through verified data. said Chairman Pakistan Freelancers Ibrahim Amin said:
This task force will give Pakistan’s digital economy the radar it needs to navigate, scale, and lead globally.
With 2.37 million freelancers already shaping the global digital economy, Pakistan’s tech industry has long lacked real data, structured policy, and aggressive enablement, he added. He also said that “If executed with precision, this data-powered revolution could double IT exports within 5 years, elevate Pakistan to the top 5 freelance markets globally, and inject billions of dollars into the national economy.”
Formed under the directives of the Prime Minister and chaired by the Federal Minister for IT & Telecom, the working group includes Governor State Bank of Pakistan Member Jamil Ahmed, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue Rashid Mahmood Langrial, Chairman Pakistan Freelancers Association Ibrahim Amin, Secretary, Ministry of IT & Telecom Member, Zarrar Hasham Khan, CEO PSEB Abu Bakar, Asif Peer, CEO, Systems Ltd, and CEO IGNITE Adeel Aijaz Shaikh.
The working group recommended that the government should address the most-sought-after demand to extend the tax exemption for the IT industry and the freelancers’ community, which is expiring next year. It also recommended that the government should provide incentives to IT exporters and freelancers similar to Roshan Digital Accounts (RDA) to attract foreign exchange through proper banking channels.