PESHAWAR: Pakistan’s digital transformation, as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), is set to revolutionise business landscape and attract significant domestic and foreign investments, according to Adnan Khan, a socioeconomic development specialist at the CPEC Centre of Excellence.
Khan highlights the transition from CPEC’s initial phase (2015–2020), which primarily addressed urgent challenges like the energy crisis and connectivity issues. The 2nd phase of CPEC brings a broader focus, emphasising industry collaboration, export diversification, and growth in technology and other sectors.
Key to this transformation is the establishment of four new working groups under CPEC, focusing on digitisation in the industrial and agricultural sectors and the development of information technology and science and technology sectors. The rapid global advancements in technology open up new business opportunities and serve as a catalyst for productive growth.
Pakistan have potential in both conventional and digital realms. An example of this transformation is the extension of the cross-border optical fiber from Gilgit-Baltistan to Karachi and Gwadar, facilitated under CPEC’s second phase. Additionally, China’s support for projects related to artificial intelligence signifies Pakistan’s intent to harness these advancements.
China’s digital economy plays a crucial role in economic recovery and growth, suggesting that developing countries like Pakistan could benefit by taking a page from China’s book in unleashing digital innovation.
Kaukab Ikram Mughal, an honorary secretary at the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, emphasizes the global shift towards a paperless and digital environment and recommends that Pakistan follows suit. However, he acknowledges the challenge of inadequate digital infrastructure in Pakistan and calls for increased investment in digital infrastructure, including fiber-optic networks and improved mobile network coverage.
Chinese and Pakistani scholars have proposed the establishment of the CPEC Centre for Digital Transformation to enhance transparency and digitalization of CPEC projects. This center aims to attract more investors and businesses by using information and communication technologies (ICT) to manage and monitor the progress of CPEC initiatives.
The Pakistan Vision 2025 initiative seeks to enable accelerated digitisation, expand the knowledge-based economy, and drive socio-economic growth. As a result of the digitization policy, Pakistan has witnessed a 70% increase in IT exports over the past three years, opening up opportunities for the country’s tech-savvy youth, who make up a significant portion of the population.
To achieve sustainable growth, the digitisation of Pakistan’s economy remains a key priority and an essential component of evolving CPEC projects.
