Country Overview: Pakistan – A Digital Future

Saturday 10 Dec 2016 | 2016 | Asia Pacific and Greater China | Digital Inclusion | Research & Reports | Taxation |

Country Overview: Pakistan – A Digital Future image

Pakistan’s emerging mobile industry has connected approximately 90 million people, representing 47% of the country’s population. This is one of the lowest penetration rates in South Asia which, coupled with a low mobile broadband uptake of around 10% of the population, highlights the existence of barriers to mobile connectivity. Connectivity barriers impede the implementation of Pakistan’s Vision 2025 strategy that aims to complete the country’s transition to a knowledge-based, digitally advanced economy. This report identifies a number of areas that mobile industry, government and other sectors of the economy can work together to drive digital growth in Pakistan. In particular, it estimates the impact of reforming mobile sector taxation such as reducing the higher sales taxes on mobile services, removing SIM cards taxes and decreasing regulatory fees and makes recommendation for wider reform to the sector.