Pakistan IT Exports Hit Nine-Month High at $435 Million in September
Pakistan IT exports climbed 19 per cent year on year to $435 million in September 2026. The figure marks a nine-month high and keeps the country’s technology sector on its strongest run in recent memory.
The September number was the second-highest monthly inflow ever recorded. Only December 2025, at $437 million, was higher. The figures add to a run of improving external indicators, with the State Bank’s foreign reserves also edging upward in recent weeks.
Pakistan IT exports power 22pc services growth
The IT performance powered a broader services export story. Total services exports reached $2.719 billion in July-September FY27, up from $2.214 billion in the same period last year. That is growth of more than 22 per cent, an increase of over $505 million.
For the first quarter, IT exports stood at around $1.25 billion. On a trailing 12-month basis, they reached $4.8 billion, up 20 per cent from $4 billion a year earlier.
Month on month, September IT receipts rose 10 per cent. Topline Securities attributed part of the jump to a higher number of working days in the month.
Freelancers drive the numbers
Net IT exports, calculated by subtracting imports from exports, rose 10 per cent year on year to $364 million in September. IT services and freelancers remained the major contributors to services export earnings.
Together they accounted for more than 45 per cent of total services exports during the first quarter. Their combined receipts reached around $1.246 billion, up roughly $187 million, or 17 per cent year on year.
The freelancer economy keeps punching above its weight, and tax concessions for content creators and influencers show the government is trying to keep that talent onshore. Punjab has been scaling up IT internships with monthly stipends to feed talent into the pipeline. Those programmes now look like a down payment on the export numbers.
The $10 billion target by FY29
The government has set an ambitious goal under its Uraan Pakistan national economic plan: $10 billion in annual IT exports by FY29. Reaching it would require a compound annual growth rate of 27.8 per cent.
That is a steep climb from current levels. The prime minister has been pushing an export-led growth agenda, and industry experts say monthly IT receipts need to rise to $450-500 million to keep the target within reach. They have called for expansion into emerging markets and action on the shortage of skilled workers.
The current run rate puts Pakistan ahead of last year’s pace. But the gap to the target is still wide, and sustaining near-20 per cent growth for three years will test policy support.
Beyond IT: wider services picture
Other business services generated $622 million in the first quarter. These included research and development, professional and management consulting, legal and accounting services, public relations, advertising and other technical services.
Transport services contributed $295 million, while travel services generated $322 million. Government services, including consular and military services, brought in around $152 million during July-September FY27.
Goods exports also improved. They rose 7.6 per cent year on year to $8.454 billion in the first quarter, up from $7.853 billion last year. The $601 million increase was slightly higher than the rise recorded in services exports.
Frequently asked questions
How much were Pakistan’s IT exports in September 2026?
Pakistan’s IT exports were $435 million in September 2026, up 19 per cent year on year and the second-highest monthly figure on record.
What is Pakistan’s IT export target?
The government targets $10 billion in annual IT exports by FY29 under the Uraan Pakistan plan, which would require 27.8 per cent compound annual growth.
How did total services exports perform in Q1 FY27?
Total services exports reached $2.719 billion in July-September FY27, up more than 22 per cent from $2.214 billion a year earlier, driven by IT exports and freelancer earnings.
