Acting Federal Minister for IT, Telecommunications and Science and Technology, Dr. Umar Saif, announced that the launch of PayPal and Stripe payment gateways in Pakistan is a top priority for the current government. Speaking at the ITCN Asia 2023 ceremony in Karachi, he acknowledged the challenges facing freelancers in Pakistan due to the lack of such payment platforms.
Dr. Saif emphasized the importance of enabling PayPal and Stripe as they are essential for the freelancer community, which makes up a large part of the country’s online workforce. He has expressed his intention to meet with representatives of these companies to that end.
In addition, Dr. He mentioned the potential of Pakistan’s IT industry in addressing Pakistan’s trade imbalance. He explained that the IT sector, with its large educated and tech-savvy population, could play a key role in improving economic conditions. Pakistan’s IT industry is already the second largest online job market in the world, with around 400,000 online freelancers contributing to the economy.
Doctor. Saif acknowledged the challenges faced by the IT industry, including tax changes and the difficulty of transferring funds to Pakistan. He expressed the government’s determination to support the industry, including exploring the possibility of a dollar reserve account, which could result in a significant increase in the size of the industry from $2.6 billion to $3.5 billion in a short period of time. Stated.
