[Pakistan] Federal Bureau of Statistics conducts census of software industry

["Irfan Khan" <khania2@super.net.pk>]

From: "SDNP Info" <info@isb.sdnpk.org>
To:   "Comp-list" <comp-list@isb.sdnpk.org>
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2002 17:46:42 +0500


KARACHI: Federal Bureau of Statistics conducts census of software 
industry in Pakistan

The Dawn, By Our Staff Reporter, 15/6/2002
http://www.dawn.com/2002/06/15/ebr6.htm


KARACHI, June 14: Only 323 out of total 664 (SWHs) registered houses 
are operating, while 211 are closed. As many as 86 are not traceable 
because of wrong addresses or shifting to other places, whereas 34 
have changed their business or not doing software development 
business. These are the findings of a 'Census of Software Industry 
and Related Services of Pakistan', conducted by Federal Bureau of 
Statistics (FBS), Statistics Division, in May 2002.  

According to Khalid Siddiqui, Director, FBS - of 323 SWH, which are 
operational, 278 (86 per cent) have responded, whereas 45 (14 per 
cent) refused to provide information. Among 278 SWHs, 202 (73 per 
cent) had responded to all questions and provided all relevant 
information whereas 76 houses (27 per cent) had not responded to very 
important questions like employment cost and earnings from software 
development, local as well as exports.  

Out of total 278 SWHs, 245 are local and 33 are subsidiary. Almost 50 
per cent of the subsidiary (16) are located in Islamabad, 30 per cent 
at Lahore and the remaining are in Karachi.  

Of total 278 houses, 212 are operating only in the country whereas 66 
also have overseas branches. Of the total SWHs covered, 250 are 
registered with one or more organizations, whereas 28 are not 
registered with any organization and 50 per cent of un- registered 
software house are in Lahore. Pakistan Software Export Board has 
highest number of registration with 214, followed by 66 by PASHA, 47 
by State Bank and 39 by others.  

There are 9,585 personal computers available with 278 SWHs, on the 
average 34 PCs with one house. The census reveals that only 17 
software houses (six per cent) have achieved ISO-9000 certification.  


According to the census, there are 8,527 persons employed in 278 SWHs 
in the country, of these 90 per cent are male and 10 per cent are 
female. About 94 per cent (8,022) are employed on full time basis and 
remaining six per cent on part time basis. The highest number - 2,438 
(29 per cent) - are programmers, whereas, about 13 per cent are 
employed as executives and project managers.  

There are 85 Ph Ds employed in the software industry, 44 are M Phil, 
30 per cent of the 
employed persons are master degree holders and 42 per cent are 
graduates. Only 115 SWHs have 
indicated their software export earnings whereas, 87 SWHs reported 
that they are not doing software export.  


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