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.

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