Pakistan’s IT exports top $4.18bn in 11MFY26

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s information technology sector recorded its highest-ever export earnings in the first 11 months of fiscal year 2025-26, with receipts crossing the $4 billion mark for the first time, according to State Bank of Pakistan data.

The latest figures showed that exports of IT and IT-enabled services reached more than $4.18 billion during July-May FY26. In the same period of the previous fiscal year, IT exports stood at $3.47 billion, indicating an increase of $709 million.

The total includes earnings generated by software companies operating in Pakistan as well as the country’s expanding freelance workforce. More than $1 billion of the export receipts came from freelancers during the current fiscal year.

Freelancers’ contribution highlighted

Pakistan Freelancers Association Chairman Ibrahim Amin said the rise in IT exports reflected the contribution of the country’s youth, adding that more than 99% of the skilled workforce in the sector consisted of young people. He said freelancers had played a central role in lifting the country’s export earnings.

Amin said young Pakistanis living in towns, villages and cities were bringing in foreign exchange through freelancing and had generated more than $1 billion in export income in the current fiscal year alone. He added that the number of freelancers and digital workers was continuing to grow as awareness of freelancing opportunities and digital skills training spread among students and young professionals.

He also said the growing use of artificial intelligence was opening up fresh opportunities for Pakistani freelancers. According to Amin, demand linked to AI could raise freelancers’ export income further in the coming years and reinforce Pakistan’s place in the global digital economy.

Need for stronger ecosystem

IT exporter Dr Noman Said said Pakistan had considerable room to raise its IT exports further and increase foreign exchange earnings, but structural shortcomings were limiting the sector’s full potential.

He said a broader strategy was needed to strengthen the domestic IT ecosystem and maintain the sector’s export momentum. According to him, that would require equipping the workforce with modern, in-demand digital skills and education, while also working to enter new international markets and expand Pakistan’s footprint in existing ones.