Pakistan is launching its inaugural Digital Foreign Direct Investment (DFDI) Forum today, April 29, 2025, in Islamabad. The two-day event, organized by the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication in collaboration with the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), aims to attract foreign investment and showcase the country’s digital potential.
Over 400 delegates and more than 200 IT and telecom companies from over 30 countries are expected to attend. The forum will focus on enhancing digital infrastructure, adoption, and exports across the 16 DCO member states. Key sectors highlighted include fintech, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.
IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja noted that Pakistan’s IT industry has been growing at a “reasonably fast pace,” with export growth between 24% to 27% annually. The country aims to reach $4 billion in IT exports this year, up from $3.2 billion last year.
Despite these advancements, the forum occurs amid concerns over digital freedom in Pakistan. Measures by telecom authorities have slowed internet speeds and restricted VPN use, while social media platform X has been blocked for over a year. Earlier this year, parliament approved a law to regulate social media content, raising concerns among rights activists.
