A commitment to promote greater links and economic growth between UK and Pakistan’s tech sectors was launched in the UK Parliament on Wednesday, according to a press release issued by the British High Commission in Islamabad.
The organisers, Tech London Advocates Pakistan (TLA), a collection of tech experts and innovators, brought together thought leaders, businessmen and investors to foster greater collaboration, innovation and sharing of technical knowledge and best practices with an ambition to forge stronger links between UK and Pakistan’s tech sectors.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to UK Nafees Zakaria alongside UK’s Deputy High Commissioner to Karachi and UK Trade Director to Pakistan Elin Burns attended the event.
“Pakistan’s IT sector is growing exponentially. Experts expect it to grow a further 100% in the coming years. New York Times has called Pakistan the next software hub. Upwork.com, which has 26 million registered users, has reported that Pakistanis account for the fifth largest number of software freelancers,” Pakistan High Commissioner Nafees Zakaria said on the occasion. “Digital Pakistan Policy includes fiscal proposals such as extension of zero-rated income tax regime on IT and IT-enabled services exports to 2030. Other fiscal measures include special economic zones (SEZs) for the IT sector to encourage the investment in IT-ready physical infrastructure in the country,” he added.
Speaking at the event, Deputy High Commissioner to Karachi and UK Trade Director Elin Burns said, “Technology businesses are at the heart of UK economy and are playing an important role in driving growth across the country, from financial services and high-value manufacturing to retail and agriculture. London is ranked the second most connected place globally for tech. With the UK’s expertise and the untapped potential of Pakistan’s burgeoning sector, tech is a potentially high growth area for further collaboration, creating jobs and prosperity for both our countries.” Chair of Tech London Advocates Pakistan Naheed Afzal said, “We are witnessing a new and emerging Pakistan. One that is young, vibrant and enterprising. This initiative creates a platform for tech businesses and entrepreneurs to connect, collaborate and share positive ideas and opportunities to the benefit of both the UK and Pakistan, countries which share such close links.
The initiative will seek to create a Pakistan-UK tech corridor, providing a gateway for greater connectivity between the two countries.
