Pakistan’s information technology exports rose 14 percent year on year to $356 million in November 2025, marking one of the highest monthly levels on record.
Despite the strong annual growth, IT exports declined 8 percent on a month-on-month basis compared to October. However, the November figure remained higher than the 12 month average of $337 million, indicating sustained momentum in the sector.
With the latest increase, total IT exports during the first five months of FY26 reached $1.8 billion, showing a growth of 19 percent compared to the same period last year. Export proceeds per day stood at $17.8 million in November, improving from $16.8 million recorded in October, reflecting steady inflows despite the monthly decline.
According to Topline Securities, the year-on-year growth is attributed to several factors, including the expansion of Pakistani IT companies’ client base, particularly in the Gulf region. The easing of foreign currency retention rules by the State Bank of Pakistan also played a key role, with exporters now allowed to retain up to 50 percent of proceeds in their specialised foreign currency accounts, compared to 35 percent earlier.
Additional support came from the central bank’s decision to allow equity investments abroad through these foreign currency accounts. Stability in the rupee further encouraged IT exporters to bring a larger share of their earnings back to Pakistan.
According to a survey conducted by the Pakistan Software Houses Association, around 62 percent of IT companies are currently maintaining specialized foreign currency accounts.
Net IT exports, after adjusting for imports, stood at $309 million in November. This represented a 13 percent increase year on year, although it was 8 percent lower than the previous month. The net figure was still above the 12 month average of $295 million.
The government has set an IT export target of $5 billion for FY26. Analysts expect exports to grow by 18 to 20 percent during the year, reaching around $4.5 billion, compared to $3.8 billion in FY25.
Under the Uraan Pakistan national economic plan, the government has also set a long-term target of $10 billion in IT exports by FY29, implying strong annual growth over the next few years. Within the IT sector, analysts continue to highlight Systems Limited as a preferred stock, citing its growth outlook and valuation.
