LAHORE: Pakistan’s services exports rose 18.78% in the first seven months of the fiscal year, driven by strong growth in information technology services, according to official data, providing a rare bright spot in the country’s external sector.
Exports of services totaled $5.66 billion during July–Jan. FY26, compared with $4.76 billion in the same period a year earlier, data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) showed.
The expansion comes at a time when Pakistan has been seeking to diversify its export base and increase foreign-exchange earnings beyond traditional goods shipments, which have experienced uneven performance.
The increase in services exports has been largely driven by telecommunication, computer and information services, which have expanded steadily since the start of the fiscal year.
Data from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) shows exports from this segment reached $2.61 billion in July–Jan. FY26, up 19.72% from $2.18 billion recorded during the same months last year.
The category includes software development, IT-enabled services, freelancing, and digital consulting, areas where Pakistani technology firms and independent professionals have increasingly secured contracts with international clients.
Industry representatives say export-oriented technology companies have gradually expanded their global presence in recent years.
Demographic advantage
Sajjad Mustafa, chairman of the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), speaking to Pakistan TV Digital said the sector’s growth reflects Pakistan’s demographic advantage and improving technical capabilities.
He pointed to the country’s large youth population alongside advances in product quality, software engineering practices, and algorithmic development skills.
The IT industry operates with an estimated 70% trade surplus, Mustafa said, adding that increased investment in the sector could help boost services exports further and support efforts to narrow Pakistan’s trade and current account deficits.
He also noted that Pakistani firms have built a reputation for developing reliable and scalable solutions while working with relatively modest computing resources, a factor that has made them competitive outsourcing partners for global companies.
Monthly data shows services exports have posted consistent year-on-year growth throughout the fiscal year so far.
Exports rose 18.27% in July, followed by 8.41% in Aug., 14.85% in Sept., 17.61% in Oct., 22.26% in Nov., 15.94% in Dec., and 31.12% in Jan..
In January alone, services exports reached $885.09 million, up from $675.03 million in the same month last year.
On a month-to-month basis, however, exports declined 6.34%, reflecting some short-term fluctuations despite the broader upward trend.
Upward trajectory
In local currency terms, services exports increased 20.22% to Rs1.593 trillion during the first seven months of FY26, compared with Rs1.325 trillion in the corresponding period last year.
The latest figures build on growth recorded in the previous fiscal year. In FY25, Pakistan’s services exports rose 9.23% to $8.39 billion, up from $7.68 billion in FY24.
Services exports have generally been on an upward trajectory since Feb. 2024, supported mainly by rising earnings from information technology and other business services.
The only notable setback during that period was a 6.5% decline recorded in Aug. 2024.
The continued expansion of IT-related services has become an increasingly important contributor to Pakistan’s services trade, as technology firms expand exports of digital products and outsourcing services to overseas markets.
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