Is Karachi a progressive tech city?

 

Karachi is the capital city of the Sindh region of Pakistan, with a population of over 11 million as of 2023. It is located on the coast of the Arabic Sea, and is known for its commercial and entrepreneurial activities. 

At the same time, Karachi is a hub for software developers and the future home of the country's largest IT Park, which should be launched by 2026 according to the Federal IT Minister of Pakistan.

The Karachi talent pool and IT capabilities got the attention of the Korean Officials who plan to establish an IT center in Karachi due to low labor costs and taxes. The announcement was made in July 2023. The center should support both professionals and companies that operate and work in the Information and Technology Industry in the city. While there’s no deadline for when the IT center is planned to be launched, the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) stated that the center would be the second one in the region, after they opened a similar center in Bangladesh. 

Notable multinational companies established in Karachi including IBM, Amazon, Google and Microsoft hire young and veteran professionals from the city and the neighboring regions. 

As for the talent pool in Kharaci, the Pakistani National Labor of Statistics mentioned that there are over 60,000 tech professionals. 

According to Glassdoor, the base pay for a software engineer in Karachi could reach up to $525/mo, and starts from $245/mo -  which makes it one of the most affordable cities to hire tech professionals. 

Another interesting fact about the IT industry in Karachi is the amount of money raised by startups in 2020 and 2021. According to Dawn, Karachi startups raised $66.44 million in 2020 through VC funds, and, in 2021 the amount of money raised was $365.87 million, or 450% more compared to the previous year. This brings Karachi to the league of the fastest-growing tech cities in the world. 

To sum up, Karachi is not only a fast-growing city in terms of technology but also one of the most affordable in the region. In the light of the upcoming events, new IT parks, and investments it is possible to predict a higher hourly rate for tech professionals, and a more developed IT capabilities in this direction.