Pakistani freelancers generated over $500 million in foreign exchange earnings during the first half of the current financial year FY2025-26, reflecting the growing strength of the country’s digital economy and expanding global demand for Pakistan’s skilled workforce.
According to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), export receipts earned by freelancers in computer and information services increased to $557 million during the July–December period, compared with $352 million earned during the same period of the previous financial year, representing a 58 percent year-on-year growth.
This milestone underscores Pakistan’s emergence as a competitive global hub for freelancing services, particularly in software development, digital marketing, graphic design, content creation, and e-commerce. Increasing government and private-sector initiatives focused on facilitation and training programs are also helping to develop a favorable ecosystem for freelancing and the gig economy across the country.
Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, said the government is undertaking multiple initiatives to facilitate freelancers and further enhance their contribution to the economy.
“The Ministry of IT and Telecommunication is actively working to create an enabling environment for freelancers through improved digital infrastructure, affordable broadband, simplified digital payment mechanisms, and targeted capacity-building programs. Our goal is to ensure that Pakistani freelancers can seamlessly access global markets and maximize their earning potential,” she said.
The government has enabled freelancers to maintain foreign currency accounts and retain up to 50 percent of their income in dollars. In addition, freelancers registered with the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) are subject to a minimal tax rate of 0.25 percent.
She added that policy reforms, private-sector partnerships, and support for digital platforms are being aligned to help freelancers integrate into the formal economy and contribute more effectively to national exports.
According to a report issued by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Pakistan’s freelancer community is estimated at 2.37 million full-time and part-time individuals. Pakistani freelancers rank among the top three or four on several global freelancing marketplaces.
Chairman of the Pakistan Freelancers Association (PAFLA), Ibrahim Amin, said freelancers are playing a critical role in strengthening Pakistan’s external account and creating employment opportunities for youth.
Freelancers are now among the leading contributors to Pakistan’s services exports. Their earnings not only bring valuable foreign exchange into the country but also help reduce unemployment and promote entrepreneurship, he said.
He noted that the contribution of freelancers is also supported by various institutions and NGOs operating in the country, emphasizing that these organizations must step forward with structured training programs, skill certification, and industry-relevant curricula to equip young people with in-demand digital skills.
He further stressed the need for stronger collaboration among government, academia, and industry to support the freelancing ecosystem. PAFLA, he added, is committed to working with universities and training centers to build a future-ready freelance workforce.
Stakeholders believe that with sustained policy support, improved ease of doing business, and continued investment in digital skills, Pakistan’s freelance earnings could cross the $1 billion mark by the end of the current financial year, positioning the country as a leading player in the global gig economy.
The press release was issued by PAFLA following approval by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication.
The way things are going with AI and Software development, this earned amount by freelancers is expected to go down significantly.
Our freelancers are mostly doing software development task based work for foreign clients. They are not doing product or system design and they certainly do not have any product of their own.
This nature of work is expected to be fully replaced by AI agents in the next 6-12 months.
The age of earning dollars by doing isolated task based work is over.
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