Pakistan faces hurdles on path to India-style tech takeoff

KARACHI -- Pakistan is pushing an ambitious plan to transform its fledgling IT sector into a core export industry, hoping to save its economy from default and replicate the rise of archrival India.

Industry insiders, however, say the country will have to overcome significant challenges to achieve its goal of fostering an industry worth somewhere between $10 billion and $18 billion -- including a habit of shutting off the internet to curb unrest and dissent.