Pakistan’s federal IT minister, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, has received the Industry Champion of the Year 2026 honour at the Fast Mode Awards. The recognition comes as the country’s IT sector posted a historic $3.9 billion surplus.
An individual honour with global reach
The award is the programme’s top recognition for an individual, with a single leader selected worldwide each year. This year’s competition drew participation from more than 500 companies across over 60 countries.
Record exports and freelancer earnings
During Khawaja’s tenure, Pakistan’s IT exports climbed to a record $4.6 billion. Freelancers also recorded their highest export earnings, reaching $1.76 billion, while their numbers grew beyond 2.37 million.
Spectrum, fibre and local production
Alongside the export figures, Pakistan recorded several developments in connectivity and technology operations:
- The country conducted its biggest spectrum auction to date, covering 5G and Next Generation Mobile Services.
- Pakistan became Asia’s first country to remove right-of-way charges for fibre-optic networks.
- Google registered its Pakistani operations formally and established its first office in the country.
- A Chromebook assembly line began operating in Pakistan with capacity to produce 600,000 devices a year.
