April 18 - 20, 2024

ITCN ASIA 2024

ITCN Asia 2024 was a resounding success, marked by empowering discussions and innovative showcases. The event kicked off with the inauguration of the P@SHA booth, graced by esteemed guests including Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) SG Deemah AlYahya, Minister of IT and Telecom Shaza Khawaja, and Chairman of P@SHA Muhammad Zohaib Khan. Throughout the event, the P@SHA team, led by SG Nadeem A. Malik and CEC members, engaged in powerful discussions with industry leaders, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between the private and public sectors in driving technological advancement in Pakistan.

Key highlights included the HBL P@SHA Roundtable on skills development, focusing on creating a sustainable solution to HR shortage in the digital economy. Additionally, the Policy Jirga roundtable identified key areas for government intervention to resolve pressing issues faced by the IT sector. The event also featured insightful discussions on gender equality and women empowerment in technology by Dr. Saira Siddique and Dr. Henna Karamat Durrani, featuring CEO PSEB Aisha Moriani.

Overall, ITCN Asia 2024 showcased the cutting-edge innovations and collaborative spirit of P@SHA, highlighting Pakistan's potential as a leading tech hub. The event concluded on a high note, marking another milestone in Pakistan's journey towards technological excellence.

April 19, 2024

P@SHA Secretariat Team at Children’s Heart Hospital & Research Institute

P@SHA Secretariat Team was privileged to witness the remarkable progress of Pakistan’s first dedicated Children’s Heart Hospital & Research Institute and to explore the world-class Cardiac Care Center at the University of Lahore Teaching Hospital (ULTH). We extend our heartfelt thanks to the hospital team for their warm welcome and for sharing their invaluable work with us as we continue our journey to combat Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) in Pakistan.

April 23 ,2024

Leaders In Islamabad Business Summit

Nadeem Malik, Secretary General of P@SHA, was a featured speaker at the LEADERS IN ISLAMABAD BUSINESS SUMMIT, where he contributed to The Digital Future Session on April 23, 2024, held at the Islamabad Serena Hotel.

April 26 ,2024

HBL P@SHA CXO MEETUP - KARACHI

On April 26, 2024, Karachi hosted the highly anticipated HBL P@SHA CXO Meetup, marking the inaugural encounter between the esteemed State Minister of IT and Telecom, Madam Shaza Khawaja, Chairman Muhammad Zohaib Khan, SG Nadeem A. Malik, and P@SHA members. This milestone occasion, her first official visit to Karachi, drew a full house of over 200 CXOs from leading IT companies, alongside the presence of the SVP FPCCI and the dedicated P@SHA team. We sincerely thank our esteemed sponsors, HBL, Viper Technology, and SI Global Solutions, for their invaluable support.

The event showcased exemplary coordination by our Chief Executive Committee (CEC) and commendable efforts from the Secretariat Team members.

April 30 ,2024

Meeting with Atom Global

P@SHA Secretariat Team had an invigorating session with team Atom Global which introduced their newly launched platform named YourMunshi along with their partner from the United States during his visit to Pakistan. The Atom was represented by Mr. Amir Zahoor, Mr. Waqas Ahmad and Mr. Danyal Memon while the meeting from the P@SHA team was led by Director Industry Engagement Ms. Ayesha Ahmed along with Economy Coordinator Mr. Zain Tariq.

April 19 ,2024

Policy Jirga Roundtable - Taxation | Regulations | Policy Directives

On April 19th, P@SHA's Policy team conducted a roundtable discussion titled "Policy Jirga; Taxation, Regulations, and Policy Directives" at ITCN Asia in Lahore, aiming to promote closer collaboration between government bodies and the IT industry to address barriers hindering industry growth. The roundtable was moderated by Secretary General, P@SHA, and CEC member Mohsin Ali. 

The panelists for the roundtable included stakeholders from the government as well the industry. The discussion emphasized the importance of implementing government-friendly policies informed by international best practices, proposing initiatives such as establishing a 30% quota for local technology procurement, instituting a 10-year tax relief program for startups, and extending benefits like Special Technology Zones (STZs) to the entire IT sector. Demands were made for tax exemption restoration for IT exporters and fair taxation rates for local employees of registered IT companies, alongside advocacy for increasing the foreign exchange retention limit and facilitating corporate debit cards to strengthen the IT sector's resilience.

April 20 ,2024

Policy Roundtable - Bridging the Gender Gap in Entrepreneurship

On 20th April, P@SHA’s Policy team hosted a roundtable discussion at ITCN Asia, Lahore on the s,ubject of "Bridging the Gender Gap in Entrepreneurship," focusing on barriers to growth in Pakistan's IT sector. The roundtable was moderated by Dr. Saira Sadiq, Founder, MedIQ. Panelists for the roundtable included women leaders in Pakistan’s tech sector, civil society, academia and International organizations. 

The discussion highlighted the importance of technology access for women entrepreneurs, addressing digital divide levels and advocating for tailored training programs. Emphasizing the need for financial literacy and better products, the discussion called for regulatory intervention to ensure transparency and eliminate discrimination. Solutions to address credit history requirements were proposed, emphasizing the need for collaborative action to bridge the gender gap in entrepreneurship.

April 29 ,2024

Country Digital Ecosystem Diagnostic Report: Validation Workshop

On April 29th, P@SHA was invited to participate in the Country Digital Ecosystem Diagnostic Report: Validation Workshop, produced by SDPI and Asian Development Bank, marking its active involvement in shaping Pakistan's digital future. As a key stakeholder, P@SHA had been involved in the consultation process throughout the development of the report. The workshop was attended by high ranking government officials such as Minister of State for Information Technology, Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and Secretary IT, Capt Retd. Muhammad Mehmood, P@SHA represented by Manager, Policy and Govt Affairs, Laraib Farhat and Policy and Govt Affairs Associate Gulraiz Iqbal, contributed valuable expertise and insights to the discussions. Collaborating with the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), P@SHA played a key role in validating and refining the findings of the diagnostic report by participating in the closed group discussions to chart actionable strategies for promoting digital transformation in Pakistan.

Central Executive Committee

16th Central Executive Committee Meeting

The 16th Central Executive Committee Meeting was held on 5th April 2024 during which discussions were held on various issues and matters pertaining to members and secretariat.

82nd Asia Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA) EXCO Meeting

Chairman P@SHA Muhammad Zohaib Khan and CEC member Dr. Shoab Khan attended the 82nd Asia Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA) EXCO Meeting happened in Kathmandu Nepal for the first time.

Chairman P@SHA meeting with Ambassador of Pakistan in Nepal

Chairman of P@SHA Muhammad Zohaib Khan meets with the Ambassador of Pakistan in Nepal, H.E. Mr. Abrar H Hashmi, to discuss bilateral IT trade. Pakistan can play an important role in leading Nepal's digital transformation.

Chairman P@SHA at Hexalyze Event

On 30th April, Hexalyze invited Chairman P@SHA, Muhammad Zohaib Khan, as the chief guest at the PC Hotel Karachi for their event titled "Empower Your Business with Enterprise Collaboration." The event aimed to provide a platform for networking with C-level peers. Over 100 CIOs attended the event.

P@SHA CEC AT ITCN Asia 2024

Muddasir Malik, our CEC member and Industry Engagement Chair, recently engaged with students at ITCN Asia 2024, discussing their innovative Web3.0 projects. The event featured participants from over 5 cities, with 60 teams (comprising 140+ aspiring innovators) competing in Round 1. Following this, 15 teams (including 40+ exceptional individuals) progressed to the Final Day, resulting in 7 Category winners and 2 Competition champions.

P@SHA CEC meeting with President of Pakistan Western Canada Trade Association

Mudassir Malik, CEC Member of P@SHA, meets with Ms. Bushra Rehman, President of Pakistan Western Canada Trade Association, at AppsGenii Technologies' Lahore office. They discussed Pakistani talent, scaling up businesses in North America, and PWCTA's crucial role in ICT awareness. They also explored collaboration between PWCTA and P@SHA to foster business growth and advance the tech industry in Canada and Pakistan.

Skills Committee

Roundtable on Digital Economy Skills Action Plan

On Friday, April 19th, a roundtable discussion was held to address pipeline issues in the IT sector and enhance the digital education and training ecosystem through a Digital Economy Skills Action Plan. The session was attended by

Key takeaways include:

• Implementing a Train the Trainer model for faculty to stay updated with the latest technologies.

• Requiring faculty to hold certificates for participation in skilling programs.

• Providing annual and quarterly refresher courses for teachers.

• Making all bootcamps demand-driven and outcome-based.

• Scaling up programs like Techlift 2.0 with industry collaboration.

• Emphasizing employment as a key success indicator for training programs.

• Establishing partnerships between industry and training institutes.

• Incorporating industry feedback throughout program development and implementation.

Roundtable on Women Empowerment Through Technology

On Saturday, April 20th, a roundtable focused on enhancing women's access and use of technology and promoting their participation and leadership in the field. Key takeaways include:

• Women need to be included in the government roles from policy making to implementation so women centric policies can be made and executed

• Departments that are working in programs specifically for women have identified cultural limitations that need to be addressed.

• Tiered programs need to be developed for Intermediate, Bachelor and professional level women

• The responsibility of inclusion of women in the digital economy is not just to be fought for by women. Men always need to be considerate.

• Industry needs to partner with NGOs and Development organizations to fund the initiatives that support women’s inclusion.

• Women inclusion and sense of working needs to be built and strengthened throughout academic life. It is not a matter of days to change the mindsets of a population that has been told not to express themselves or take the stage since childhood.

Skills Team Meeting with GIZ: Bridging the Gap Between Graduates and Industry

On Friday, April 26th, the Skills team engaged in a significant meeting with GIZ, focusing on a comprehensive five-point plan to address the longstanding challenge of bridging the gap between graduates and industry requirements. Central to the discussion was the imperative for industry and employers to delineate competencies expected from prospective candidates. The plan further emphasized the necessity of developing tailored curricula, implementing a dual training system, conducting internal trainer development programs within companies, and revisiting accreditation and assessment criteria to ensure alignment with evolving industry demands. This concerted effort seeks to equip graduates with the requisite skills and competencies vital for thriving in today's dynamic work environment.

Animation and Games

Webinar : Game on Pakistan - Episode 1

P@SHA hosted the premiere episode of the "Game On Pakistan" webinar series on March 25th! The topic, "Maximize Your Revenue: Proven Mobile Game Monetization Strategies," is now available on YouTube.

29 – 30 May 2024

Dublin Tech Summit

The Dublin Tech Summit is a premier event that gathers global leaders in innovation, technology, and business to shape the future of global trends and technologies. Scheduled for the 29th and 30th of May 2024, this summit promises to be a groundbreaking event where industry experts and visionaries will converge to discuss and explore the latest advancements and trends in the tech world.

29 – 31 May 2024

GITEX Africa

This event promises to shape Africa's tech-driven tomorrow by showcasing the latest tech breakthroughs and innovations. With a focus on fostering entrepreneurship, driving innovation, and advancing technology, the summit will bring together leading minds, startups, investors, and policymakers from across the continent and beyond.

Upcoming Events

10 – 14 June 2024

London Tech Week

London Tech Week is a global celebration of tech, uniting the most innovative thinkers and talent of tomorrow in a week-long festival.

17 – 20 June 2024

Collison Canada

Toronto will host this prestigious event, offering unparalleled growth and networking prospects for Pakistan's tech industry.