Pakistan is geared to become a regional hub for the export of software and Information Technology (IT) services due to its competitive advantages as compared to the other regional countries.
Low cost for doing business, availability of trained manpower and a robust telecom network would lead it to become centre for IT exports, said Musa Javed Chohan, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Canada.
He was addressing a delegation of the leading Pakistani IT and software development companies in Ottawa (Canada).      The delegation has been visiting Canada to explore opportunities for enhanced trade in the areas of software and hardware development, web
applications, graphics, animation, multimedia and other business process management services, said a press release received here.
The High Commissioner said that IT and Telecom were among the fastest growing sectors of Pakistan and IT exports growth in each of the last few years has been more than 50 per cent.
He said Pakistan has various competitive advantages over other outsourcing destinations of the region, such as quality software development and swift and easy establishment of business.
The incentives offered by it include tax exemption till 2016, low rent of IT Parks, foreign ownership of equity invested and 100 per cent repatriation of profit allowed to IT companies.
As a result, he said, telecom sector has attracted more than US$9 billion foreign investment during last three years and expects to get another US$4 billion during the next 3-4 years.
The High Commissioner said that it was heartening to note the steady growth in the IT exports which were estimated at US$ 1 billion today and expected to cross US$ 10 billion in the next five years.
He said that Pakistan and Canada have been enjoying friendly relations, adding that Canada has steadily remained Pakistan’s partner in development and the two countries were working to expand their relations in a broad spectrum of areas in the social and economic fields.       The visit has been organized by Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) in coordination with Pakistan High Commission, Canada, Canada,  Pakistan Business Council, Export Development Canada, Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, The Indus Entrepreneur and Royal Bank of Canada.      The delegation members would hold meetings with the leading IT companies of Canada and would also attend briefings about initiatives by the Canadian government to support local IT industry.