SIFC DRIVES DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND FOREIGN INVESTMENTS IN PAKISTAN

By: Maria Mansab
The SIFC plays a pivotal role in promoting substantial progress in Pakistan. In the pursuit of facilitating foreign direct investment and digital transformation in Pakistan, the SIFC forum, in collaboration with Information and Communication Technology (ICT), is facilitating critical decisions that will have a direct positive impact on the general populace. These initiatives will lead to the rapid growth and stability of the nation’s economy.
SIFC emerged as a driving force in promoting collaboration among the defense sector, academia, and industry in Pakistan to promote technology. Additionally, it facilitates innovations, boosts productivity, and improves effectiveness in various sectors.
The Pakistan Software Export Board, under the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication, collaborated with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and other global partners, including faculty from the University of Oxford, to develop its first IT and ITeS export strategy. The goal of this strategy is to boost Pakistan’s IT exports to $10 billion within the next three years. This aligns with the vision of the SIFC, which aims to achieve economic stability and attract foreign investment.
SIFC played a crucial role in facilitating the IT sector and eliminating obstacles within departments. Pakistan has a significant chance to expand its IT/ITeS export revenues to $10–$18 billion by 2028, which would establish Pakistan as a global IT hub. This growth would also lead to a corresponding increase in the domestic industry, reaching over $6 billion annually.
Currently, Pakistan’s IT exports amount to $2.6 billion. Dr. Saif has stated that an extra 200,000 skilled individuals will be added to the existing IT workforce to increase exports by $5 billion. The new strategy aims to boost IT exports to a range of $10bn to $18bn by 2028 by implementing three main initiatives: enhancing skill development, establishing a conducive IT ecosystem, and implementing effective marketing strategies.
The case with Sun TV over hundreds of MHz of spectrum has been pending since 2014. The matter was raised at the SIFC forum, and all the required legal requirements were met, after which the Honorable High Court of Sindh heard the case daily and the verdict of the case was pronounced. It is imperative to mention here that this spectrum, which is currently valued at millions of dollars on the market, is now in the custody of the government.
SIFC has efficiently executed all departmental obstacles and promptly approved all decisions that are in the best interest of the country and the nation, including the establishment of the Advisory Committee for spectrum auctions, the implementation of the Right of Way Policy, and the necessary steps to lay the nationwide network of optical fiber cables.
Pakistan’s ranking for cellular service quality is relatively poor, scoring 79 out of 100 on the Inclusive Internet Index. One of the primary factors contributing to this issue is the insufficient allocation of funds towards the development of the telecommunications infrastructure. Therefore, SIFC is essential for investment in the telecommunications industry.
Telecom operators in Pakistan only have 274 MHz spectrum to serve the 7th largest number of telecom users in the world. The Ministry of IT and Telecom has announced its plans to implement 5G technology by mid-2023 under the SIFC forum. Additionally, the government is actively seeking to attract foreign investment.
Additionally, the federal cabinet has approved the sharing of telecommunications infrastructure. Infrastructure sharing is a business-friendly mechanism that allows telecommunications companies to install equipment on other towers. Presently, mobile service providers utilize an estimated 367 MHz of spectrum. With the forthcoming spectrum auction, this figure is projected to surpass 600 MHz.
In Pakistan, mobile telecommunications companies have access to a limited quantity of spectrum. It has the lowest value among all the areas in the region. Pakistan’s existing spectrum allocation of 269.2 megahertz (MHz) can be effectively increased by utilizing the available spectrum. An additional 151.6 MHz can thus be generated with the assistance of the SIFC forum.
In preparing the nation’s first space policy and obtaining approval from the appropriate forums, the SIFC Forum plays a crucial role. Satellite internet, which will soon be accessible to the general public, is also nearing completion of negotiations with Starlink; further enhancements will be made to the current network.
Moreover, the upcoming government will have the ability to make timely decisions for the progress of the country and the welfare of the general public in light of the SIFC’s vision. In the interest of the nation and the country as a whole, quick and effective decisions must be made instead of unnecessary delay tactics; SIFC is the most effective forum for this purpose.
As Pakistan navigates the challenges and opportunities in the digital era, the SIFC remains a key forum in shaping the country’s economic landscape, ensuring timely decisions, and facilitating strategic initiatives that propel the country toward becoming a global IT hub.