The prevailing tax system remains one of the biggest obstacles to attracting foreign investment in Pakistan, Abdul Aleem, Secretary General of the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the media launch of the OICCI’s Digital Report 2025, Aleem noted that more than PKR 100 billion in tax refunds owed to OICCI member companies are currently stuck.
He added that the chamber’s more than 200 member companies contribute around PKR 10 billion daily to Pakistan’s national exchequer.
Aleem emphasized that policy continuity is indispensable for the success of digital transformation.
At the same event, Syed Ijlal Jafri, group chief information officer at Martin Dow, said Google has demonstrated strong potential in Pakistan with the aim of equipping human resource working in various corporates with artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
The OICCI Digital Report 2025 highlighted strong momentum in Pakistan’s digital adoption, noting that the country now has more than 150 million broadband subscriptions. Despite this progress, the report pointed to significant infrastructure gaps that could slow future growth.
Participants at the launch stressed that to foster digitization, the government must discourage cash-based transactions and create an enabling environment for a cashless economy.
The report recommends lowering taxes on broadband services and digital devices, along with strengthening public-private partnerships to position Pakistan as a competitive regional digital economy.
Comments
See what people are discussing