Pakistan’s Services Exports Jump 18.3% in July FY26, Led by IT and Telecom Sector
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s services exports surged 18.27% year-on-year in July — the opening month of fiscal year 2025-26 — driven mainly by strong growth in telecommunication, computer, and information services, according to official data released on Thursday.
Figures from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) show exports rose to $745.52 million in July, up from $630.38m in the same month last year. On a monthly basis, exports grew by 4.47%.
In local currency terms, services exports increased 20.74% to Rs211.89 billion, compared to Rs175.49bn in July FY25, reflecting steady inflows of foreign exchange.
IT and Digital Services Lead the Growth
The latest data highlights that IT-related services remain the biggest growth driver. Exports of telecommunication, computer, and information services jumped 23.77%, reaching $354m in July compared to $286m a year earlier, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
Other categories also showed resilience:
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Business services exports rose 17.96% to $151m, up from $128m.
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Transport services climbed 21.54% to $79m, compared to $65m last year.
However, travel services exports posted a sharp decline of 20.33%, falling to $47m from $59m in July FY25, pointing to weaker demand or limited outbound travel.
Imports and Trade Deficit
On the import side, Pakistan saw a marginal decline. Services imports slipped 0.61% to $871.44m in July, compared to $876.83m in the same month of FY25. On a monthly basis, imports were up 3.41%.
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Transport imports decreased 2.97% to $391m.
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Travel imports, however, rose 16% to $210m, up from $181m.
With exports rising and imports slightly easing, Pakistan’s trade deficit in services narrowed by 48.91%, falling to $125.92m in July from $246.45m in the same period last year.
Outlook
In FY25, Pakistan’s services exports grew 9.23% to $8.39 billion, compared to $7.68bn in FY24. Much of this momentum was fueled by consistent IT and digital services growth, despite a temporary 6.5% dip in August 2024.
Economists believe the IT and technology sector will remain Pakistan’s strongest foreign exchange earner in FY26, especially as traditional goods exports continue to face global market volatility.
