Pakistan pitches digital growth agenda at Austria business forum

Pakistan’s investment outlook and digital transformation agenda took center stage at the Pakistan-Austria Business Forum in Vienna, where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and business leaders engaged international investors under the newly launched “Invest in Pakistan NOW!” initiative.

At the forum, Aamir Ibrahim, member of the Group Executive Committee at VEON and chief executive officer of JazzWorld, said Pakistan’s growth trajectory is being shaped by scale, resilience and the emergence of national digital platforms.

“When scale meets innovation, technology stops being just an enabler and becomes a true driver of national growth,” Ibrahim said.

Digital shift and youth dividend

Addressing policymakers and industry leaders, Ibrahim described Pakistan’s transformation as already underway rather than a future ambition. He said leaders across sectors are contributing to a broader shift toward a digitally enabled economy, with connectivity forming the base for value creation.

With nearly two-thirds of the population under 30, Pakistan has one of the largest young workforces in the region, a demographic participants described as digitally skilled and entrepreneurial. The youth population is emerging as a catalyst for innovation, productivity and technology-led growth across industries.

Discussions highlighted how Pakistan’s digital ecosystem is expanding beyond traditional telecommunications. Representing JazzWorld, Ibrahim said the sector has evolved from basic connectivity infrastructure into digital banking and fintech services, and now into data centers, software exports and artificial intelligence-driven solutions.

Participants said connectivity is no longer the end goal but a foundational layer enabling financial inclusion, digital payments, export-oriented services and innovation at scale. They said the convergence of scale and technological capability is reshaping Pakistan’s role in the global economy.

Policy direction and global engagement

The discussion also addressed policy direction under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government. Participants said Pakistan is recalibrating its global engagement model, expanding its focus from conventional trade toward technology partnerships based on innovation and long-term collaboration.

Technology was described as an increasingly important bridge between Pakistan and global markets. Ibrahim said fintech-led inclusion, artificial intelligence applications and export-focused software development are positioning the country as a credible digital partner.

The session emphasized dialogue as a building block for sustainable partnerships and encouraged investors to engage directly with Pakistan’s digital platforms and talent base.

Participants said the discussion reinforced a central message: Pakistan is actively shaping its place in the global digital economy by leveraging scale, demographics and technological ambition to build future industries.