Pakistan’s Information Technology (IT) sector has a promising future with its talented youth and is poised to become the largest export industry of the country, according to the Pakistani High Commissioner to the UK. 

Based on this information, it is also important to mention that the average salary in the IT industry in Pakistan is estimated at around 378 USD/mo, making the country one of the most accessible and competitive in the region in terms of prices. 

Based on a report of the State Bank of Pakistan, the IT industry value is set to grow double in 2020, making a progress from $3,5 bn in 2019 to $7 bn. USD. 

Why working with Pakistan-based IT companies

Pakistan-based IT companies and web agencies are in the full development process and promoting their services mainly to foreign clients using the latest technologies. Even though Pakistan is probably the newest player in the IT sector in the region, it revealed it has huge capacities with a number of tech startups and new web agencies that continue to grow. In this way, there are more than 1500 IT companies in Pakistan with 10,000 professionals enrolling in the sector each year. 

What to be aware of when working with Pakistan-based IT companies

The relatively low number of IT companies in Pakistan is motivated by two factors: First, as mentioned previously is that the web agencies based in Pakistan are new in the region and are in full development and promotion process. The second reason is that professionals in the country are focused more on freelancing than entering a corporate environment and developing a digital business system - based on a report from the NY Times. 

Considering both indicators, it should be noted that the Pakistan-based companies don’t have rich experience on the market and thus, a developed-business culture which may be a challenge for potential foreign clients. 

How reliable are IT companies from Pakistan

The young and inexperienced behavior of Pakistan-based IT companies and web agencies is compensated by the high capacity and low prices on the market that they can provide. This makes Pakistan-based companies and web agencies, but as well as freelancers to have a balanced reputation on the global market, making the selection process easier for potential clients. 

How Pakistani IT Industry relates to the neighboring countries

Pakistan is trying to make its place in the global setup. Perhaps, this is the reason why the country’s freelancers offer rates 30% to 50% less than the ones offered in India. According to NASSCOM, India’s IT market size is $150 billion while Pakistan’s is just $3.5 billion. While India’s population is seven times higher, their investment in the startup's ratio is also 30 times greater. The ratio of the size of the economy is 1:10 while the market size of startups is 1:100.  This can be improved as Pakistan’s startups market can grow up to 5 times

The Global Competitiveness Index and Ease of Doing Business Index of Pakistan show that the country has some giant strides to make. India has 6 big IT companies and every company has at least a $10-billion revenue a year. Google, IBM, and Microsoft have their local office in India, promoting the country’s industry through research and development. On the other hand, Pakistan has not seen business tycoons venture into the IT industry. Pakistani businessmen love to invest in real estate and gold.