Muhammad Zohaib Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), recently apprised journalists that Pakistani IT companies flaunted their diverse capabilities at the LEAP 2023 tech event held in Saudi Arabia and bagged multi-million dollar contracts and deals.

Khan said that this year P@SHA, the Ministry of IT & Telecom (MoITT), the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) have made sure that all major Pakistani IT companies must participate in the mega, B2B tech & IT trade promotion, networking event. Their combined efforts were fruitful and a total of 150 major IT companies of Pakistani origin were present in the LEAP 2023, he added.

He said that P@SHA has set its eyes on the resolution of the biggest and twin economic issues of the country, i.e. trade deficit & current account deficit (CAD). He said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has agreed in principle that IT is the only industry in the country that can post exponential export growth for a long-drawn-out period of years after years to come.

Khan highlighted that Pakistan Pavilion at LEAP 2023 attracted thousands of visitors and was also frequently visited by top Saudi government and chamber officials during the event. He added that P@SHA plans to grab a bigger and more prominent location for Pakistan Pavilion in the LEAP 2024 as the P@SHA delegation is expected to be even bigger in the annual event of LEAP next year.

In another landmark development, Deema Al Yahya, Secretary General of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), visited the event P@SHA Connect jointly organized by P@SHA & Tech Destination Pakistan on the sidelines of LEAP 2023. The high-profile event was attended by 300 prominent IT industry personalities from across the world in general and from GCC countries in particular.

He explained that DCO is a global multilateral organization aimed at creating shared prosperities and healthy interdependencies through digital inclusivity, dialogue, and partnerships and Pakistan has much to gain from this significant engagement.

Additionally, the prestigious Riyadh Chamber of Commerce had a detailed meeting with the P@SHA delegations as well. P@SHA chief informed that the two sides have discussed the ways and means to tangibalize their cooperation to open the doors for billions of dollars worth of investments, JVs, trade, and other contracts in tech, IT, ITeS, and telecom