Shaza Fatima named Industry Champion of the Year 2026Technology

According to a statement from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, the recognition reflects Pakistan’s growing achievements in the technology sector over the past two years, particularly in IT exports, telecom infrastructure, digital governance, artificial intelligence and international investment.

The ministry pointed to record IT and IT-enabled services exports of 4.6 billion dollars, along with a historic trade surplus of 3.9 billion dollars, described as the highest among all service sectors. Freelance export earnings reached 1.76 billion dollars, while more than 4.5 million young people received free digital training under the DigiSkills programme.

Other milestones cited in connection with the award include the largest 5G spectrum auction in Pakistan’s history, completed in March 2026, and Pakistan becoming the first country in Asia to abolish Right of Way charges, a step intended to make it cheaper and faster to build digital infrastructure.

In August 2026, Google completed formal registration and inaugurated its first office in Pakistan, while an assembly line with an annual capacity of 600,000 Chromebooks was established in the country. The ministry also noted that the GSM Association credited Pakistan with the world’s fastest progress in narrowing the gender gap in mobile internet usage.

Pakistan also improved by 27 places in the International Telecommunication Union’s ICT Development Index, rising from 119th to 92nd, a gain the ministry presented as evidence of the country’s accelerating digital transformation.

The Fast Mode Awards are an independent recognition programme for organisations and individuals reshaping digital connectivity, and the leadership category honours people whose vision and execution have driven meaningful change across the industry. Khawaja’s award places Pakistan’s digital transformation efforts on an international platform and marks a significant achievement for the country’s technology sector.

For Pakistan, the honour comes at a time when the government has made digital growth a central economic priority, betting that exports, freelancing and local manufacturing can create jobs and earn foreign exchange. Supporters say the award signals that this strategy is gaining recognition abroad, while the challenge now is to convert international attention into sustained investment and opportunity at home.