Is Innovation Set to Soar with 43 New Tech Parks?

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), through the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), has successfully launched 43 state-of-the-art Software Technology Parks (STPs) nationwide, spanning major and secondary cities. Established between FY2022 and FY2024, these tech hubs cover 1.9 million square feet, house over 350 IT and IT-enabled Services (ITeS) firms, and employ 18,000 professionals with women making up 20% of the workforce.

Collectively, these parks generate approximately $100 million in foreign exchange annually and contribute $15 million to the domestic economy. Key locations include Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad, Quetta, Sialkot, and Swat, among others.

To further bolster the nation’s ICT sector, the government is investing in two major IT parks:

• Karachi: A $186 million facility covering 1.12 million square feet, expected to be operational by 2027, creating 13,400 jobs and boosting IT exports by $90 million.
• Islamabad: An IT park under construction spanning 720,000 square feet, slated for completion in 2025 for $88.4 million, with an estimated 7,500 new jobs and a projected export boost of $70 million.

As part of its broader digital transformation strategy, the government also plans to establish 250 e-Rozgaar centres nationwide by 2027 under the “Prime Minister’s Initiatives Support for Startups, Specialised IT Trainings, and Venture Capital” programme. These initiatives aim to expand Pakistan’s digital economy, enhance IT infrastructure, and support the rapidly growing tech industry.