Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has invited the IT industry from all over the world, including the US and Europe, to invest in Pakistan, offering to provide all possible facilities.

"Foreign companies should cooperate with Pakistan in using modern technology, the prime minister said while speaking at the Digital Foreign Direct Investment (DFDI-2025) Forum in Islamabad on Tuesday. The two-day conference drew over 1,000 global tech leaders, investors, and policymakers, reaffirming international interest in Pakistan’s growing digital economy.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also welcomed foreign investment pledges worth $700 million in Pakistan's information technology (IT) sector, calling it a “turning point” in the country’s digital journey. He said Pakistan was no longer waiting for the future, but actively shaping it.

'Digital Pakistan is here'

Highlighting the importance of this influx of investment, PM Shehbaz Sharif said the pledges will help unlock the untapped potential of Pakistan’s youth, who make up nearly 60% of the population.

“Our energetic youth, aged between 15 and 30, are the architects of Pakistan’s digital future,” said the prime minister, as he emphasized the importance of foreign collaboration in building a thriving tech landscape.

Major initiatives: Huawei training, IT parks, AI push

PM Shehbaz announced a strategic partnership with Chinese tech giant Huawei, under which 200,000 young Pakistanis will be trained annually in digital skills and emerging technologies. The initiative is part of a broader government program to boost IT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and digital infrastructure across Pakistan.

He also mentioned that IT parks, incubation centres, and research ecosystems are being established nationwide to empower startups and tech innovators.

Remittances hit record high

The prime minister revealed that Pakistan received $4.1 billion in remittances in March, a historic high, calling it a sign of global trust in Pakistan’s digital and economic prospects.

“We’re not just building a digital economy—we’re creating a digital Pakistan. From transforming agriculture with AI to scaling exports with smart technology, the world should join us on this journey,” Shehbaz said.

Pakistan’s digital growth in spotlight

In her speech, Minister for IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja highlighted Pakistan’s 25% growth in IT exports during the first nine months of the fiscal year. She added that Pakistan had trained over 300,000 youth in IT skills this year alone under the prime minister’s supervision.

Khawaja also revealed a 48% increase in mobile manufacturing, with Pakistan now producing over 31 million devices annually. She emphasized Pakistan's progress toward a cashless economy and the development of a modern digital public infrastructure.

Digital Cooperation Organization backs Pakistan

Deemah AlYahya, secretary general of the Digital Cooperation Organization, praised Pakistan’s digital progress, saying the DFDI forum was a declaration that the country was ready to lead in the global digital economy.

“With 142 million broadband subscribers, 65% smartphone penetration, and IT exports poised to exceed $4 billion, Pakistan is primed for digital acceleration,” she said.

Public-private synergy fuels IT exports

Pakistan Software Export Board CEO Abu Bakar also projected that IT exports will surpass $4 billion this year, underscoring the synergy between government initiatives and the private sector.

The event concluded with PM Shehbaz Sharif presenting a special memento to Deemah AlYahya, thanking participants for their contributions to Pakistan’s digital transformation.