Pakistan - Computers and PeripheralsPakistan - Computers and Peripherals
Overview
(US$ Million)
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019* (Estimated) | |
| Total Local Production | 1.61 | 1.62 | 1.82 | 1.75 |
| Total Exports | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.00 |
| Total Imports | 375.6 | 420.67 | 454.27 | 431.55 |
| Imports from the US | 48.0 | 55.2 | 57.2 | 53.20 |
| Total Market Size | 377.21 | 422.29 | 456.52 | 433.30 |
| Exchange Rates | 102.77 | 104.77 | 124.50 | 152.34 |
* Sources: Pakistan Economic Survey 2017-18, Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Government of Pakistan
Local chambers of commerce and industry, trade associations, and market experts
Pakistan’s market for computers and peripherals has seen moderate growth in the past several years, a trend that is expected to continue. With virtually no domestic production, the country relies on imports. The local market is generally receptive to U.S. brands, mainly due to the quality and reliability of their products; however, other foreign brands from China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and Taiwan offer strong competition.
Major U.S. brands such as Dell, Hewlett Packard, Intel, Apple, and Cisco have established a strong presence in Pakistan.
The information technology (IT) industry in Pakistan has seen a slight dip in growth during last year mainly due to overall economic downturn, however, the computers and peripherals sector has retained its position as a major prospective sector. The public and private sectors in Pakistan place a high priority on the introduction, availability, and utilization of computers and other IT equipment in routine and critical workflows. The Government of Pakistan (GOP) through the National IT Policy of 2012 emphasizes computer availability, usage, connectivity, and skills development. The GOP encourages the use of computer technology in both public and private institutions and organizations and has introduced several incentives for both local and foreign firms including ease in equity ownership, and remittance of profits from Pakistan. In addition, the GOP has launched several projects and incentive schemes to ensure widespread availability of computers to the general public. Some of the initiatives include development of software technology parks; the provision of demand-based training; increasing internet penetration through medium including broadband, wireless broadband, and fiber optic; research and development; digitization of public-sector records, technology incubation centers, distribution of free laptops to students on the basis of their academic qualifications, and digitization of government records. In FY 2016, the Senate and National Assembly unanimously passed the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Bill to ensure protection of data and prevention of electronic crimes. According to industry expects, the demand of IT equipment related to cyber security sub-sector is expected to grow in the next few years.
The primary users of computers and peripherals in Pakistan are private businesses; IT services companies, software development houses, call centers, business process outsourcers (BPOs), internet service providers, educational institutions, and private users. There are more than 900 IT and IT-enabled companies, employing over 80,000 qualified IT professionals in Pakistan. Software development, including specialized application development, by BPOs has emerged as a major business sub-sector during the last several years. According to the latest statistics, there are approximately 15,000 qualified professionals associated with this sub-sector and this number is expected to grow at an annual rate of 3 percent in the coming years.
According to industry experts, the increasing demand for computers and peripherals in Pakistan is also attributed to wide-scale access to the internet and access to information through social media platforms. The local demand for internet and wireless broadband services and its associated equipment has seen significant growth in the past 10 years, which is expected to continue over the coming three to five years. There are currently 50 ISPs operating countrywide, with approximately 55 million total subscribers. Under the GOP’s broadband policy, the bandwidth tariff has been drastically reduced for high-speed internet services, including DSL, ADSL, WiFi, ISDN, fiber optic, and other wireless connections.
Leading Sub-Sectors
The most promising sub-sectors within Computers and Peripherals for FY 2020 are:- Personal Computers (New/Used)
- Computer Laptops and Tablets (New/Used)
- Computer Networking Equipment
- Servers/Gateways
- Modems
- Wireless and Broadband Modems
- Power Supplies/Battery Chargers
- Wires, Cables, and Connecting Equipment
- Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) / Light Emitting Diode (LED) Monitors
Opportunities
Despite moderate economic growth, the past year has seen a growing trend of computer users, especially, at home using used/refurbished computers and laptops. This has resulted in a large influx of used computers, both branded and unbranded, into the local market. This trend has had only a minor impact on available international brands; however, corporations still prefer new and branded equipment, and these corporations traditionally make up the bulk of the market.
Web Resources
Ministry of Information Technology
Ministry of Economic Affairs and Statistics
Pakistan Software Export Board
Punjab Information Technology Board