Pakistan’s IT exports in hot waters, up 19 percent only: Daily Times

By Muhammad Yasir

KARACHI: The country's exports of Information Technology (IT) and its related services have registered a modest growth of 19 percent compared with last fiscal year. This is the lowest exports growth rate since 2004 because the exports have been witnessing 50 percent growth consecutively for the last five years.

As per statistics obtained from Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), the country's IT and IT-enabled services exports have touched $201 million despite its plunging demand in the international markets as compared with $169 million exports in 2007-08.

However, the country has missed its exports target of $255 million as the global economic recession has affected its offshore demand in the second half of 2008-09.

Managing Director Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), Talib Baluch, said the achievement of growth in exports is quite good for the industry in the scenario when global downturn has exerted its impacts on IT and other industries worldwide.

He said IT industry has started feeling the pinch of global economic slowdown as offshore demand of our exports has been declining in the first half of 2008-09, however, he added the country's exports will take time to rebound, most likely with the recovery of its demand in global economies.

For more on this article, please click on the following link: Pakistan’s IT exports in hot waters, up 19 percent only: Daily Times

‘IT industry could touch $10bn export in next 5 years’: The News

By M Farhan Zaheer

KARACHI: Adnan H Lawai, who came to Pakistan after working in Silicon Valley, San Francisco, United States for 12 years in the field of Information Technology (IT), is now running a fast growing IT company in Pakistan that he set up with his friend three years back.

Adnan H Lawai, CEO of folio3 is a Karachi-based IT company, said I and my partner Umair (who is in USA) started folio3 three years ago with most of our customers from USA.

After completing my college education there, I worked as an IT professional for 12 years in Silicon Valley. We both had some good contacts in US especially in the field of technology because we have been working with some prestigious companies there. The company grew at a tremendous speed and expanded its operations more than three times in last 3 years.

In late 90s, there was a boom in the field of technology all over the world and people thronged this field, the same was the phenomenon in Pakistan. But in 2001 and 2002, it collapsed and the same results were also felt here in Pakistan. We took this as an opportunity in disguise and started our operation in Pakistan. We could afford to hire people and could get very good talent, so we accepted that challenge. We were among the very few of IT companies that started hiring in that difficult time.

The year 2005 brought positive signs for the country’s IT sector and it again started booming and this time we went to universities and hired best talent directly. Later in 2006 when we started this company, we faced a very tough competition. But fortunately by then, we had established a very good reputation in the market, the environment was good and fresh university graduates were coming to us.

In Karachi, we retain some 90 employees. Another branch of our company is in Sofia, Bulgaria where we have one dozen Bulgarian employees because if you look for experienced people you will not find here in Pakistan. But there you will find specific field experts unlike Pakistan. Second reason, why we went to Bulgaria, is that we have a trusted friend in Bulgaria who established all in Sofia. Karachi is home to many IT companies but these companies are relatively smaller to those that are working in Lahore. From 2002 up to date, IT industry has witnessed massive growth and our software exports are growing at a rate of 50 per cent.

For more on this article, please click on the following link: ‘IT industry could touch $10bn export in next 5 years’: The News

Pakistan outsourcing soars: IT Examiner

Now number three RentACoder

By Aharon Etengoff @ Thursday, November 06, 2008 7:40 AM

Pakistan has reportedly attained a number three ranking on RentACoder. According to E-Commerce Times, the online outsourcing marketplace currently lists India and the US as the top two outsourcing destinations.

"With the Pakistani Rupee depreciating and the Indian Rupee appreciating, costs are 25 to 40 percent cheaper," explained Imran Aftab of TenPearls, a business intelligence and software development company in Herndon, Va.Aftab also noted that the quality of services offered by a relatively untapped Pakistani labour force was "much higher compared to what is available in the saturated Indian market...This provides better value for customers."

For more on this article, please click on the following link: Pakistan outsourcing soars: IT Examiner

IT sector Witnesses 30-50pc growth: Dawn

KARACHI, Nov 4: Pakistan’s IT and ITES sector has been growing at the rate of between 30 and 50pc annually. This growth is being witnessed for the past five years with the largest member of companies grossing between $15 and 30m in annual revenue and receiving $100m valuations.

“Many that started with a small number of people have grown to strong 40-50 people product companies or service companies with teams of 300 to one,000 people, and this growth has resulted in high-paid employment for knowledge workers and an increasingly changing image of technology savvy Pakistan,” said Imran Zia, Chairman, Pakistan Software Houses Association in his opening remarks at the annual flagship ICT awards event recently.

For more on this article, please click on the following link: IT sector Witnesses 30-50pc growth: Dawn

Pakistan IT exports touch $1bn benchmark: Daily Times

KARACHI: The country's Information Technology (IT) exports have marked one billion dollar benchmark in fiscal year 2007-08, a research commissioned by Pakistan Software Export Board reported Monday.

According to this research, the country's IT and related industry has witnessed $2 billion increase in its worth, maintaining 50 percent handsome growth rate in 2007-08.

President Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), Jehan Ara said Pakistan produces approximately 20,000 IT graduates annually for pursuing their right fields of interest in the industry.

However, Jehan Ara said the size of the industry was much higher to attain $2.8 billion level with the exports $1.8 billion to various countries.

For more on this article, please click on the following link: Pakistan IT exports touch $1bn benchmark: Daily Times