ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s e-commerce sector is rapidly making its mark on the global stage and is currently ranked as 46th largest market in the world, Pakistani state media reported on Sunday, citing the International Trade Administration (ITA) data.
The ITA is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that provides practical information to help Americans select markets and products with the help of three sub-units, Industry and Analysis (I&A), Global Markets (GM) and Enforcement and Compliance (E&C).
Pakistan’s recent growth in e-commerce was fueled by a burgeoning middle class, widespread smartphone and Internet usage, improved e-commerce infrastructure, and robust government support, the state-run APP news agency reported.
“In 2023, the market generated $5.2 billion in revenue, positioning Pakistan ahead of many other developing nations,” the report read. “The sector is expected to maintain its momentum, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.92 percent from 2024 to 2029.”
Pakistan’s distinction as a mobile-first nation was evident, with over 80 percent of Internet users accessing the web via smartphones, according to the report. This mobile dominance was also reflected in e-commerce, where 58 percent of users made purchases through mobile devices in 2023 — a figure that is expected to rise further.
As of July 2024, the number of monthly active users of mobile shopping apps in Pakistan surpassed 16.6 million, showcasing rapid growth in mobile e-commerce and increasing consumer acceptance of app-based shopping, according to DataSparkle, which provides data insight services for enterprises, app developers, investors and research institutes.
“The lucrative potential of Pakistan’s e-commerce market has attracted both international and local platforms,” the APP report said. “Global giants such as Alibaba’s AliExpress and Amazon are making inroads into the Pakistani market, while homegrown platforms like Daraz, DealCart, and Savyour are also thriving.”
The expanding Pakistan e-commerce market has also piqued the interest of various international players, with platforms like SHEIN and Temu entering the top 15 shopping apps in Pakistan by mid-2024, it added.
Pakistan e-commerce market ascends to prominence, ranks 46th worldwide — report
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Pakistan e-commerce market ascends to prominence, ranks 46th worldwide — report
- Pakistan’s growth was fueled by a burgeoning middle class, widespread smartphone and Internet usage, improved e-commerce infrastructure
- The expanding market has also piqued interest of international players, with platforms like SHEIN and Temu entering top 15 shopping apps
Pakistan expresses condolences as Bangladesh’s first female PM passes away
- Khaleda Zia passed away in Dhaka after prolonged illness at the age of 80, says her party
- PM Shehbaz Sharif describes Zia as a “committed friend of Pakistan” in condolence message
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday expressed condolences over the passing of Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, Khaleda Zia, describing her as a committed friend of Islamabad.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) announced its leader Zia had passed away at the age of 80 after prolonged illness. She died at the Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, where the former prime minister was admitted on Nov. 23 with symptoms of a lung infection, according to The Daily Star, a Bangladesh news website.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of Begum Khaleda Zia, Chairperson of the BNP and former Prime Minister of Bangladesh,” Sharif wrote on social media platform X.
“Her lifelong service to Bangladesh and its growth and development leaves a lasting legacy.”
Sharif said his government and people stand with the people of Bangladesh during this difficult time.
“Begum Zia was a committed friend of Pakistan,” he added.
Pakistan and Bangladesh used to be part of the same country before the latter seceded into the separate nation of Bangladesh after a bloody civil war in 1971.
Ties between the two countries have remained mostly strained since then. However, Islamabad enjoyed better relations with Dhaka under Zia’s government compared to when Bangladesh was led by her arch-rival, Sheikh Hasina.
Hasina was ousted after a violent uprising last year, leading to improved relations between Islamabad and Dhaka.
Despite years of ill health and imprisonment, Zia vowed in November to campaign in elections set for February 2026.
The BNP is widely seen as a frontrunner, and Zia’s son Tarique Rahman, who returned only on Thursday after 17 years in exile, is seen as a potential prime minister if they win a majority.
-With additional input from AFP
