ICT sector crosses $10 billion mark with over 74 million broadband users: Siddiqui

Pakistan's information and communications technology (ICT) sector has surpassed $10 billion mark with more than 74 million broadband users and over 76 percent teledensity.

This was stated by Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui while addressing at the H3C grand opening ceremony here on Tuesday.

Siddiqui said that the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication is committed to serve the promise for digitally transforming the country into a knowledge-based economy.

He said that Pakistan is making strides forward and in the right direction. This event is yet another example of government's business friendly policies and Ministry of IT & Telecom's facilitative approach for attracting foreign investors in the technology sector, he said.

"I must appreciate the management of H3C Company for realizing the potential of Pakistan as an emerging market and hope that it will grow its operation in the country on strategic level," he said.

The federal minister said Pakistan possesses immense potential specially in the ICT sector and companies like Huawei, ZTE, Nokia, Ericsson and Cisco have a majority of the global employees acquired from Pakistan which exactly explains the quality and ability of skilled human capital available on competitive basis for companies like H3C to utilize this potential not only for local consumption but also for its international operations.

Pakistan's ICT sector has surpassed US $10 billion mark with more than 74 million broadband users and teledensity in excess of 76%, he said.

The reason why Pakistan is a more responsive market to technological advancements is the overwhelming numbers of youth having more than 65% of the population between the ages of 15 and 40 and "we want all the stakeholders to play their due part in early digital inclusion and financial inclusion of the people," he said.

The federal minister offered best wishes to H3C for its future endeavors in Pakistan and assured that the government of Pakistan will continue to protect and facilitate all legit foreign investments in the country.