The Pakistan Army has initiated a campaign to empower military families, including the spouses and wards of personnel, war-wounded individuals, and Shuhada, by fostering creativity and economic growth through freelancing. Headquarters Multan Corps established three 'e-Business Hubs' in Multan and Okara within eight weeks to mentor male and female freelancers.

Generation Z in Pakistan forms approximately 60 percent of the population, representing an enormous human and knowledge capital for the country. Only a continuously evolving academia, commensurate with the pace of global technological advancements, a robust Information Technology (IT) industry, and effective industry-academia linkage can harness the talent pool created by the approximately 20,000 IT graduates and engineers produced annually. The need of the hour is to direct the youth towards economic empowerment through job creation and by enabling them to become startup entrepreneurs. Freelancing provides a dynamic and autonomous way to sell specialized skills from the comfort of one's home. It offers an alternative means of earning by establishing a link to the global market, which gives freelancers the confidence and experience required to thrive in the industry. Pakistan plays a key role in the IT sector and freelancing industry, with enormous potential to earn valuable foreign exchange through IT and IT-enabled Services (ITeS). A collective effort is required from individuals, organizations, and policymakers to channel Pakistan's talented youth towards productivity.
The brisk advancements in IT during the COVID-19 pandemic have brought about a paradigm shift in global working environments, presenting a range of opportunities and challenges. The world has become more interconnected, with over 5,500 million internet users and rapidly growing internet penetration. Technologies like cloud services and artificial intelligence (AI) have contributed to this shift. The IT sector has swiftly transitioned from the physical working model by upgrading the infrastructure to support remote work, transcending geographical boundaries. This transformation has enhanced earning opportunities through online business, especially for Generation Z, which is adept at using technology and constitutes approximately two-thirds of all freelancers. The freelancing ecosystem operates by breaking down professional tasks into discrete jobs assigned to skilled manpower available online, enabling them to earn from international clients and bring in foreign remittances while working from the comfort of their homes. With basic computer skills and internet access, individuals can start working online and set up startups with relatively low upfront costs compared to traditional brick-and-mortar establishments.
Pakistan faces a major challenge on the economic front in maintaining a favorable balance of payments due to trade deficits and external debt obligations. The inflow of foreign currency plays a significant role in Pakistan's national economic growth by directly contributing to the country's gross domestic product (GDP). IT exports help bridge this gap by providing a stable source of foreign exchange, thereby reducing the pressure on the country's balance of payments. The IT sector contributes to Pakistan's economy, with estimated annual earnings of approximately USD 500 million and a growth rate of approximately 70 percent in recent years. Pakistan is among the top five countries in terms of freelancing, with an annual growth rate of approximately 47 percent. Further revolution in the IT sector is essential for Pakistan's national growth as it drives economic development, fosters innovation, empowers individuals and businesses, and enhances efficiency and connectivity in an increasingly digital world.
Freelancing skills are mainly categorized as creative, software development, marketing, content writing, clerical, and professional services. Pakistani freelancers mainly provide services in software development, creative/multimedia, and writing/translation, contributing 38.2 percent, 31.2 percent, and 17 percent of global freelancing in each sub-sector, respectively.
Approximately 60 million youth, burgeoning IT professionals and freelancers of Pakistan present a force to reckon with. However, major challenges restraining youth of the country leading towards successful career growth in the domain of freelancing and startups are outdated curricula, less number of training centres and difficulty in their access, low internet bandwidth (internet bandwidth of selected countries in the region as per Speedtest Global Index March 2024 shown in figure below), lack of communication skills, lack of understanding of finances, low academia-industry linkage, fewer payment options for foreign exchange, lack of incentives to support and social unacceptance of its adoption as a career. 

The need of the hour is to devise policies to support the freelancing community, transform academia and its linkage with industry, upgrade the infrastructure through the establishment of well-equipped training centres, grant affordable access to the internet and devices, upgrade internet bandwidth, and incentivize the freelancing industry and startups. 

The IT sector contributes to Pakistan's economy, with estimated annual earnings of approximately USD 500 million and a growth rate of approximately 70 percent in recent years. Pakistan is among the top five countries in terms of freelancing, with an annual growth rate of approximately 47 percent.

Realizing the significance of freelancing and IT in the economic stability of Pakistan and the need to effectively utilize the technical acumen of people, the Pakistan Army has taken a major stride to tap the potential of the spouses and wards of military personnel, war-wounded persons, and Shuhada. They aim to foster creativity and economic empowerment among those with a knack for learning, growing, and thriving in the global freelancing arena. Headquarters Multan Corps quickly and effectively assimilated the idea conceived by General Headquarters (GHQ) and became trailblazers by setting up three state-of-the-art IT Centres in Multan and Okara, titled 'e-Business Hubs' (EBH). These centers, established under the auspices of Headquarters Multan Corps, mentor male and female freelancers and were set up in a record timeframe of merely eight weeks.

A detailed project timeline for the establishment of Multan Corps EBH was formulated, outlining all major and minor activities related to site selection, structural modifications, approval, procurement, and installation of IT, sound, and projection systems. It also included the formulation of courses and curriculum, selection of mentors, and conduct of the awareness campaign. The facility, with a capacity of 38 each for males (e-Cottage) and females (e-Women), was equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and high-speed internet (250 Mbps) and was established at the Garrison Public Library Multan (GPLM).
The next major challenge was to motivate and engage individuals from diverse backgrounds, including varying ages, qualifications, and confidence levels, many of whom had minimal exposure to freelancing. A carefully planned campaign was launched to attract the families of military personnel and Shuhada by conducting motivational awareness seminars for all ranks and their families at the garrison level, and placing compelling advertisements at prominent locations and on local cable channels. The e-Business Hubs quickly became the talk of the town, leading to a surge in applications. A total of 352 applicants were profiled based on qualifications, experience, and age. It was found that the applicants, aged 15-49, had no prior freelancing or professional experience, with their qualifications ranging from Class 8 to Master's degrees in unrelated fields such as Botany, Zoology, and arts.
At another prong, an in-depth analysis of in-demand skills was carried out to ascertain the appropriate skills for the target audience, based on which specially tailored freelancing courses were designed. Extensive market research was conducted to identify reputable subject matter experts (SMEs) from a credible institute to accredit our mentees. After thorough deliberation and interviews, the most renowned firm in Southern Punjab, iSkills, was selected for mentoring.
The initial exposure of the families of serving military personnel, war-wounded individuals, and Shuhada to the online business and freelancing world was susceptible to cyber threats. Therefore, a comprehensive policy with guidelines, including Do’s and Don’ts, was formulated, and an awareness lecture on these guidelines was delivered on the first day. A detailed analysis of freelancing requirements, while maintaining a balance with cybersecurity needs, was also conducted.
A team consisting of two officers, Major Muhammad Rizwan and Major Riasat Bano, along with just two technicians due to limited human resources, was formed to handle all operations and maintenance for both the male and female sides of the facility. Mentoring sessions with SMEs were conducted in the evenings after routine academic hours. Lectures from the two courses of Batch-1 were recorded and played back the next morning for mentees' revision. A series of lectures by notable guest speakers, including Dr. Zafar Alvi (Project Director DigiSkills), Tanveer Nandla (CEO iSkills), Wasim Ashraf (Master Trainer e-Rozgar), and an online session with international mentor Tracey Currell, were organized to enhance communication skills, address linguistic issues, improve financial management, client handling, and project hunting techniques. Monthly feedback from the mentees was regularly sought to ascertain the areas requiring improvement.
Freelancing is a marathon that requires time to learn, identify niche skills, build and improve profiles, and compete globally, all while occasionally facing rejection. Continuous encouragement from mentoring institutes plays a crucial role. Motivational lectures and interactions were held, incentives were awarded, one-to-one sessions with instructional staff were provided to address individual issues, and mutual cooperation among mentees was promoted.
A delightful development occurred midway through the second month of mentoring when international clients began approaching the mentees for various services. Orders were fulfilled according to client requirements, and payments were received. The mentees of EBH began to shine in the freelancing world, launching successful YouTube channels, and developing professional websites with substantial traffic. A certificate distribution ceremony was held, recognizing the top earners among male and female mentees with golden and silver stars.
Project hunting, or lead generation, for the trained mentees of Multan Corps EBH was a critical task to enhance their freelancing profiles and confidence. Extensive efforts were made to explore joint venture opportunities, including collaborations with Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Multan, National University of Modern Languages (NUML) Multan, Toyota Multan Motors, and others. These collaborations aimed to offer services such as digital marketing, graphic design, video editing, and web development.

To further expand EBH's online presence and generate earning opportunities for the mentees, a comprehensive digital marketing strategy was developed. This strategy included creating profiles on various platforms, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Google Maps, as well as developing a website. Organic followership was built through contacts, followed by digital media marketing via Facebook and Google Ads.

Multan Corps EBH stands out among all IT centers established across Pakistan for its facilities, mentoring standards, and the earnings of its mentees. Since January 2024, the mentees have earned over USD 4,500 and PKR 450,000. EBH Multan is now emerging as a Digital Media Marketing Agency specializing in graphic design, digital media marketing, and website development services. The facility is establishing a strong presence on the web, social media, and professional platforms, which is expected to help secure projects for skilled graduates from EBH. Additionally, EBH mentees have contributed to the digitization of the Army Saughat Shop by developing an e-commerce website and social media business pages to enhance the visibility and accessibility of Saughat products online. 
Another challenging task was to lead EBH towards self-sustainability. Various models were considered, and a hybrid learning approach was adopted to combine physical and online environments. Initially, domain experts questioned the financial viability of this model. However, the team's belief, determination, and perseverance enabled EBH to run Batch-2 on a completely self-sustained model, providing six weeks of mentoring to 90 mentees in Graphic Design and Digital Media Marketing through seasoned SMEs.

The Punjab IT Board (PITB) and DigiSkills were approached to align the mentoring content with both international and national standards for certification. A meeting was held with Director General e-Governance, Mr. Sajid Latif, resulting in the formulation of a standardized curriculum for the e-Rozgaar Program. PITB will conduct free assessments of EBH mentees to certify them with e-Rozgaar certificates, and additional free services, including e-Commerce training for women under the 'SheWins' program, will be provided. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is being signed in the coming weeks to formalize future collaborations with iSkills and IPDM as training partners.
Freelancing presents a crucial opportunity for economic empowerment in Pakistan, where high unemployment and poverty levels persist. E-Business Hubs are pivotal in addressing these issues by creating jobs, developing skills, and generating income, leveraging technology and global connectivity. They help elevate economic conditions and boost national growth through foreign currency inflows. By fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among the youth, E-Business Hubs support economic diversification and competitiveness. They enhance human capital through skill development and education in technology, benefiting the IT industry and enabling Pakistani businesses to reach global markets through e-commerce and digital platforms.

The author is Masters in Computer Engineering from NUST. His major projects include 'Fuzzy Logic Based Intelligent Traffic Controlled System', '1st Indoor Simulator of TOW Weapon System' and 'Western Border Illumination. 
E-mail: [email protected]