KARACHI: The digital economy could contribute 5-7 per cent to GDP by 2030 if structural bottlenecks are addressed and reforms accelerated, according to a report by the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI).
The OICCI on Wednesday released its report, ‘Recommendations for Pakistan’s Digital Future’, outlining the country’s digital ecosystem, policy gaps and growth opportunities.The report highlighted strong momentum in digital adoption, with IT and IT-enabled services exports reaching $3.8 billion and freelance earnings totalling $779 million. Pakistan has more than 150 million broadband subscriptions and over 200 million telecom connections, while the mobile ecosystem contributes an estimated $17 billion to the economy.
Despite this progress, infrastructure gaps remain a key constraint. Only about 18 per cent of cellular towers are connected through fibre, well below the global benchmark of around 40 per cent, limiting network capacity and readiness for next-generation technologies.
The report noted gains in digital finance and inclusion, with the Raast instant payment system processing Rs18 trillion in peer-to-peer transactions in FY26, reflecting rapid uptake of digital financial services.
However, it said implementation of policy reforms has been slow, with only about one-quarter of the recommendations outlined in the OICCI’s 2022 digital report adopted so far.The OICCI called for lower taxes on broadband services and digital devices, faster fibre deployment, clearer regulations on data protection and cybersecurity, and stronger public-private collaboration to support growth in the digital economy.
