KARACHI: Karachi hosted the World CIO Summit & Awards 2025 – Pakistan Edition to recognize the services of the country’s top-performing CIOs and cybersecurity professionals at a local hotel here recently.
Speaking as a keynote speaker, former State Minister and Chairman Board of Investment Azfar Ahsan said that Pakistan’s positive image is emerging across the world but it has a lot of untapped potential when it comes to human talent and the natural resources of the fifth-largest population of the world.
All stakeholders should set up a comprehensive strategy and shared vision for the country and execute it on a sustainable basis for socio-economic development and the prosperity of the nation.
He said public sector entities and private sector companies should bring in institutionalized reforms, structural changes, and foster collaborations among stakeholders to promote efficiency in the systems.
In his online address, President CISO Global Forum Dr. Erdal Ozkaya mentioned that Pakistan has made tremendous growth and success in the IT ecosystem, with exports continuing to mark new records with each passing year.
He pointed out that the share of ICT stands at nearly 45% of overall services exports and the number of broadband users is increasing every month, showing an encouraging sign for the future. The contribution of IT professionals is commendable in uplifting the sector with an unprecedented pace, technological innovation, and growth stories, he remarked.
Executive Director A. F. Ferguson Syed Abdul Qadir said CIOs and cybersecurity experts are growing in Pakistan and serving different sectors in a commendable way, which needs to be recognized at national and global platforms.
He said the CIO 200 Summit and Awards is the platform for CIOs and IT professionals to gather and show their strength every year to the world. The summit celebrated success of over 600 professionals and came together them under one roof to share ideas, spark collaborations, and celebrate excellence under the theme *“Dawn of a New Decade,” he added.
Muhammad Umair Nizam, Senior Vice Chairman PASHA and Vice President Ecommerce Gateway Pvt. Limited, said that Pakistan’s digital leaders are creating a difference not only in Pakistan but across the world with their talent and innovation.
He further said that our country needs competent and hardworking IT leadership and professionals to inspire the young generation to adopt new technological trends and contribute towards the development of the country.
The services of 50 CIOs and cybersecurity of different sectors have been recognized with awards.
