Overview
- The State Bank of Pakistan's Balance of Payments, published Friday, shows IT and telecom exports rose about 21% from $3.814 billion to $4.6 billion in fiscal year 2025-26.
- June 2026 remittances reached a fiscal-year high of $416 million, capping a final-quarter rebound after dips in December–February and strong monthly results in April and March.
- Freelancers crossed $1 billion in export earnings for the first time and contributed roughly a quarter of IT receipts as many workers transformed into micro-agencies and targeted overseas clients.
- Government incentives, tax relief, SBP regulatory measures and international promotion were credited with helping growth, but industry leaders point to limited access to international payment channels, patchy broadband and 5G rollout, and skill gaps as barriers to scaling.
- Analysts say addressing payments, connectivity and training could unlock higher-value digital contracts and help Pakistan close the large gap with bigger exporters such as India.