ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s first information technology delegation to Qatar landed in Doha on Sunday to seek potential investments and explore the market for software houses and freelance developers in the country.
Most countries in the Gulf region are actively trying to diversify their economies away from oil and gas reliance by investing heavily in technology sectors, creating innovation hubs and fostering digital infrastructures to encourage growth in various industries.
The strategic shift includes significant emphasis on adopting advanced digital technologies such as AI, cloud computing and cybersecurity, aiming to transform these countries into knowledge-based economies.
Qatar has made notable strides in the area by making robust investments in smart city initiatives, tech start-ups and a commitment to hosting technologically advanced events like the FIFA World Cup 2022.
“Our visit to Qatar kicked off with an event at the Pakistan embassy attended by Pakistani diaspora in Qatar alongside 30 top IT companies we brought from Pakistan,” Caretaker Information Minister Dr. Umar Saif announced in a social media post.
“This is the first ever visit of an IT delegation from Pakistan to Qatar to explore the huge untapped potential in the region to increase Pakistan’s IT exports,” he added. “This will also help us prepare for a substantial participation in the upcoming Web Summit in Qatar in a few months.”
According to a statement released by the IT ministry, the fundamental objective of the conference is to encourage Qatari investors and hi-tech firms to invest in Pakistan.
Pakistani authorities have been striving to secure foreign investment to strengthen the country’s economy by identifying various areas which they believe to have maximum potential.
These include agriculture, mining, information technology, defense production and energy sectors.
Pakistan also established the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) – a civil-military hybrid forum – in July to fast-track decision-making and promote investment from foreign nations, particularly from the Gulf region.