Pakistan IT exports hit $1.25 billion in July-September as freelancers post a record month

Pakistan earned $1.246 billion from IT and telecom exports in July-September 2026, the first quarter of the 2026-27 fiscal year. That is 17.7% more than the $1.059 billion earned in the same three months last year, according to State Bank of Pakistan data reported by TechJuice and MM News.

The growth was strongest at the end of the quarter. September alone brought in $435 million, and freelancers had their best month ever.

IT exports month by month

*July is worked out by subtracting August and September from the quarterly total.

September's figure was 10% higher than August and 18% higher than September 2025. It was also just $2 million short of the all-time monthly record of $437 million set in December 2025, according to figures shared by Khurram Schehzad, adviser to the finance minister, and reported by Business Recorder and 24 News.

Freelancers set a new record

Freelancers working from Pakistan for foreign clients earned $197 million in September, their highest monthly total on record. That was 49% more than a year earlier and 11% more than in August.

This continues a strong run. In the last full fiscal year, 2025-26, freelancer export earnings reached a record $1.76 billion, up 78%, Arab News reported, citing the same adviser.

Why this matters beyond the tech sector

IT is now one of the few export lines that grows quickly without needing imported raw material. In the July-September quarter, IT made up about 46% of Pakistan's services exports, which totalled $2.719 billion, TechJuice reported.

Every dollar that comes home through a bank adds to the country's foreign exchange reserves, which reached a record level this quarter, as we covered in our report on forex reserves and exports in Q1 FY27.

An illustration: if IT exports stayed at September's level of $435 million every month for a year, the annual total would be about $5.2 billion. This is a simple calculation for scale, not a forecast. Monthly figures rise and fall.

What is driving the growth

The finance minister's adviser linked the rise to targeted incentives for exporters and the IT sector in the FY27 budget, and to a growing digital economy.

What the headline numbers do not show is how evenly the gains are spread. The monthly figures are national totals, so they do not tell us which cities or which types of work are growing fastest.

Practical checklist for freelancers and small IT firms

• Bring earnings home through banks or approved channels. Only money received this way counts as an export in official data, and it gives you a clean record for tax and loan applications.
• Keep an invoice for every payment. A clear invoice with the client's name, the service and the amount makes bank queries and tax filing much easier.
• Keep your bank's proof of each inward payment. Ask your bank for a statement or certificate of foreign payments received, and keep it with your invoices.
• Check your filing deadline. The income tax return deadline for individuals is 31 October 2026. See our key dates calendar for upcoming deadlines.
• Compare conversion rates. Banks and payment services offer different exchange rates and fees. Our guide on sending money to Pakistan safely explains what to compare.

The first quarter has set a strong pace. Whether it lasts will depend on stable internet, easy payments and steady demand from foreign clients in the months ahead.