In a positive development for the expanding freelance market in Pakistan, freelancers in the country will now have the option to receive their earnings through PayPal, an online platform for payment and money transfer.
This platform enables users to send and receive money in 25 different currencies across more than 200 countries globally. The availability of PayPal is expected to significantly enhance Pakistan’s burgeoning freelance market by simplifying transactions in various business sectors. Dr. Umar Saif, the caretaker Minister for Information and Technology, highlighted the absence of widely used online payment platforms in the country and emphasized the longstanding demand by freelancers for PayPal to operate in Pakistan.
Under the newly introduced program, freelancers won’t need to create a PayPal account; instead, payments will be made from individuals outside the country using their PayPal accounts, and the funds will be promptly deposited into the freelancers’ accounts, as explained by the minister in a statement. He mentioned that in the inaugural space policy endorsed by the federal cabinet, global companies would be permitted to offer communication services using low-orbit communication satellites. Emphasizing the swift progress in satellite communication technology, he noted the growing interest of numerous private companies worldwide in offering communication services via low-orbit satellites. He highlighted the evolution of geostationary satellites, which were distant from the Earth, explaining that while they were beneficial for broadcasting TV signals, communication posed challenges due to latency.
نگراں وزیر آئی ٹی ڈاکٹر عمرسیف نے فری لانسرز کیلئے بیرون ممالک سے پیمنٹ گیٹ وے کا قابل عمل منصوبہ بتادیا۔ کمیونیکیشن کی دنیا میں کیا انقلاب آچکا ہے، لو آربٹ کیا ہے؟ جہاں موبائل نیٹ ورکس اور انٹرنیٹ نہیں وہاں یہ سہولت کیسے ملے گی ، اس راز سے بھی پردہ اٹھا دیا گیا ہے۔#PayPal pic.twitter.com/ZUJ9m68TZx
— Ministry of IT & Telecom (@MoitOfficial) January 7, 2024
Saif emphasized that communication and internet services could be delivered using satellites in low-earth orbit, which are in closer proximity. He highlighted significant advancements in this area within the private sector, making it feasible for Pakistan to avail communication services through satellite technology. The minister emphasized the role of the National Space Policy in facilitating private companies to provide cost-effective internet services in the country, fostering greater investment in the national space program. With confidence, he anticipated the launch of 5G services in Pakistan by July of this year, with a plan to auction the 300MHz spectrum. He mentioned that before the introduction of 5G services, improvements had to be made to the optic fiber network. Presently, only 6,000 out of the 56,000 mobile towers nationwide are connected to optic fiber.
Dr. Saif shared that his ministry, in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission, National Computing Accreditation Council, Examination Testing Council, Pakistan Software Export Board, and Pakistan Software Houses Association, has made a significant decision to overhaul IT education in universities. As part of the program, approximately 31,000 students have registered for the test, and those who pass will be offered employment through the Industry Placement Programme.
Additionally, the government plans to launch a project establishing 10,000 e-Rozgar centers nationwide, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for freelancers and startups. The minister, while discussing government initiatives to boost exports in the IT and telecom sector, stated that the official export figure for the sector is currently $2.6 billion, but the actual figure is around $5 billion. This is because a significant portion is parked outside the country to cover expenses such as salaries for international employees, monthly costs for cloud hosting, and marketing and sales on platforms like Google, Amazon, LinkedIn, etc.
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