In a major move to position itself as a global hub for digital investment, Pakistan will host the inaugural Digital Foreign Direct Investment (DFDI) Forum on April 29-30, 2025, in Islamabad.
Organized by the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication in partnership with the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), the forum is set to be a landmark event in the evolving landscape of digital globalization.
Bringing together over 400 delegates, more than 200 IT and telecom companies, and 50+ startups and investors, the DFDI Forum 2025 aims to unlock new frontiers in cross-border digital investment and innovation. Delegates from over 30 countries will attend, including senior policymakers, technology leaders, and innovation experts.
A high-profile UK delegation, led by Dr. Samina Zehra, Economic Minister at Pakistan’s High Commission in London, is expected to be a focal point of the forum. The team includes luminaries in AI, quantum computing, cloud technologies, and digital infrastructure, with notable figures such as Steve Suarez, Alina Timofeeva, Asim Khwaja, and Shahzad Manzoor Khan confirmed to attend.
Digital Foreign Direct Investment Forum in numbers
- Representatives from 30+ countries to attend
- 400+ high profile delegates including investors & CEOs
- 200+ IT & Telecom companies
- 50+ startups
‘Davos of Digital FDI’: Islamabad’s ambitious vision
Pakistan’s government is making a bold statement—Islamabad isn’t just hosting an event; it is branding itself as the “Davos of digital FDI.”
“The Digital Foreign Direct Investment Forum is a strategic initiative designed to position Pakistan as a pivotal hub for digital investments,” according to IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
In a press briefing on Monday, she added, “The idea is to showcase Pakistan in both categories—startups and institutionalized IT firms—both of which offer immense investment potential.”
She emphasized Pakistan’s accelerating digital economy, noting IT exports have grown annually by 24–27%. “We’re trying to actually increase the base further up, trying to hit the target of $4 billion hopefully this year,” Khawaja stated.
The purpose of the summit is to “showcase Pakistan’s digital economy, attract foreign investment, and promote innovation and technology exchange.” The event will also explore a potential $100 million investment pipeline for Pakistan’s burgeoning tech sector.
Strategic Blueprint: The Digital FDI-enabling policy
Central to the forum is the launch of Pakistan’s Digital FDI-Enabling Policy (DEP), a transformative framework built around four key pillars:
- Infrastructure: Advancing next-gen digital connectivity
- Adoption: Accelerating digital transformation across industries
- Innovation: Empowering startups and emerging tech
- Exports: Scaling Pakistan’s thriving IT and services export base
This policy seeks to create an investor-ready digital ecosystem driven by scalability, agility, and local talent, making Pakistan a compelling destination for digital investment.
Pakistan’s Digital Rise in numbers
As of 2025, Pakistan boasts:
- 142 million Internet users (58.4% penetration)
- 79.4% mobile penetration, including nearly 73 million smartphone users
- A $3+ billion IT export market, with $1.86 billion in exports recorded in the first half of FY2024-25—up 28.04% year-on-year
This surge is driven by a young, tech-savvy workforce and a supportive policy environment that continues to attract interest from investors around the globe.
The forum takes place amid concerns over digital freedoms in Pakistan. Over the past year, X (formerly Twitter) has remained blocked, while telecom authorities have been accused of throttling Internet speeds and restricting VPN access.
Rights advocates have also criticized a recent law regulating social media content, which they argue undermines freedom of expression. The government, however, denies these allegations. Khawaja addressed the issue, stating: “Actually except for X that you mentioned, there is no platform that is not accessible to anyone. There are no, per se, restrictions on the usage.” Despite these challenges, the government remains optimistic about the trajectory of its digital economy.
Global Significance of the DFDI Initiative
The DFDI Forum represents a paradigm shift in how digital FDI is conceptualized and deployed. As traditional investment models struggle to keep pace with a fast-digitizing world, Pakistan and the DCO are building a new framework—one rooted in trust, technology transfer, and sustainable, inclusive growth.
The combined GDP of DCO member states stands at $3.5 trillion, offering fertile ground for international collaboration, innovation, and investment.
Pakistan is open for innovation, inviting the world to co-create a future built on trust, tech, and transformation, according to officials.
From high-level roundtables to curated B2B meetings, the DFDI Forum 2025 is more than a conference—it’s a launchpad for digital development. Attendees can expect meaningful dialogue, tangible investment opportunities, and cross-border partnerships that aim to shape the next decade of digital growth across Asia, the Middle East, and beyond.
As Pakistan prepares to take over the DCO presidency in 2026, the DFDI Forum is a strong signal of its ambition to lead from the front in a global digital revolution.