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       ISLAMABAD: Pakis-tan needs to focus on specialised IT skills and international branding as there is significant potential for growth in this sector, said Saquib Ahmad, Country Managing Director SAP Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Bahrain.

       Talking to the media on Monday, he added that to unlock its full potential, Pakistan needs international branding of its IT sector to ensure seamless profit repatriation, expand data protection laws, and foster innovation to help boost investor confidence and global competitiveness.

       “However, the local as well as international IT companies and the freelancers were facing lack of cooperation from the authorities,” Mr Ahmad said, adding, “The international players always have the option to shift to Philippines or Africa, and the Pakistani government has to consider that inconsistent policies have long term serious consequences on the image of the country.”

       He acknowledged Pakistan’s IT transformation and increased adoption of digital solutions in public and private sectors.

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       SAP chief stresses long-term structured roadmap to accelerate transformation

       However, only taking the numbers into account was not the right approach.

       “The target was to reach out for advancements in IT, including growth in artificial intelligence (AI) as well as other services,” he added.

       The country head of SAP said government organisations increasingly leveraged ERP systems, cloud computing, and AI-driven analytics to improve efficiency and transparency. However, a more structured roadmap and long-term policies were needed to accelerate this transformation.

       He suggested that the initiatives needed to promote the IT sector to an advanced level include talent development, and the SAP offers training programmes, partners with universities, and provides global exposure to students through intern--ships in Silicon Valley.

       “We need more industry-academia collaboration to ensure that graduates are equipped with skills aligned with market demands,” he said, adding that emerging technologies like AI, blockchain, and IoT were shaping global markets.

       Mr Ahmed highlighted the challenges in implementing IT and ITeS solutions at the government and public sector levels, including resistance to change, outdated infrastructure, and a lack of skilled IT professionals within government bodies.

       He added that to address these challenges, the government has to invest in digital literacy, improved regulatory frameworks, and further stronger public-private partnerships drives.

       Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2025