KARACHI, April 27: The personal computer (PC) shipments to Pakistan grew 16.6 per cent in 2005 to reach just under half million mark with 494,000 units due to growing IT awareness and increased focus from multinational IT vendors.

Springboard Research vice-president Dane Anderson said that although the earthquake in October 2005 held shipments back marginally in the fourth quarter due to delayed government buying and general economic disruption, it was not expected to impact the market materially in 2006 and beyond.

Due to political and social disruptions as well as general perception challenges, he said that Pakistani market had traditionally been neglected by international IT vendors, says a press release.