Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab, and is the country's 2nd largest city after Karachi, as well as the 18th largest city proper in the world. Lahore is one of Pakistan's wealthiest cities with an estimated GDP of $65.14 billion as of 2017. It is the largest city and historic cultural centre of the wider Punjab region, and is one of Pakistan's most socially liberal, progressive, and cosmopolitan cities. Lahore has seen rapid growth in information technology services in past years. The city is now recognized as the largest industry of information technology. The city has produced brilliant brains of IT industry in the Silicon Valley of USA and now in Lahore, the city will nearly be called as Silicon Valley of Pakistan.