Pakistan’s IT exports reach about $4.6 billion: what it means for businesses buying software

Pakistan's IT exports reached about $4.6 billion in FY2026, up around 21% from $3.814 billion the year before, according to reports citing State Bank of Pakistan data. That is below the government's $5 billion target for the year. P@SHA, the IT industry body, aims to triple the sector's export contribution to $15 billion by FY2031.

The numbers

According to Outsource Accelerator, which cites State Bank of Pakistan data via a Pro Pakistani report:

• FY2026 IT exports: $4.6 billion, a rounded figure.
• Growth: 21% on FY2025's $3.814 billion.
• Against target: below the government's $5 billion goal for FY2026.
• Share: IT is the largest services export category, at 46% of total services exports.

An academic article in Pakistan Today also puts wider ICT exports at about $4.6 billion in FY2026, citing the State Bank. The reports differ on freelance earnings, so we do not quote a freelance figure: Outsource Accelerator says they crossed $1 billion, while the Pakistan Today authors give $1.76 billion for freelance services. We could not check any of these on the State Bank's own site.

The targets

• $15 billion by FY2031. Digital Pakistan reports that P@SHA's Strategy 2031 aims to triple the IT sector's export contribution to $15 billion by FY2031. It says P@SHA led about 30 tech leaders to Oslo Innovation Week 2026 as part of that strategy.
• One million AI professionals by 2030. The Express Tribune reports Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal saying Pakistan aims to develop one million AI professionals by 2030, which the National AI Policy also sets. He mentioned seven new AI centres linking research, skills, startups and industry, and more than 75,000 graduates a year. The article gives no funding or timeline for the centres, so treat it as a policy aim.

What it means for businesses

The headline is about exporters, but the same talent builds software for local businesses. If you are buying software or automation in Pakistan, a few questions matter more than the national figure:

• Who supports it after launch? Ask about local support hours and response times, in writing.
• Who owns the code and the data? You should be able to export your data and know what happens if the provider is unavailable.
• Is the AI claim demonstrable? With so much attention on AI skills, ask any provider to show a working example on data like yours, not slides.
• Is the price a scope? Ask for a written scope that names each module, so you can compare providers line by line.

We build custom software, ERP, POS and automation for businesses in Pakistan, the UK, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. See our custom software solutions and our guide to what an AI automation agency does, or ask us directly.