Pakistan has set a target of increasing its information and communications technology export revenue to $25.1 billion by 2030, with the government planning measures focused on IT and IT enabled services, telecommunications, workforce development, technology infrastructure and international market expansion. Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja shared the target in a written reply to the National Assembly, outlining the government’s plans to increase Pakistan’s participation in global technology markets. The target includes $15.3 billion from IT and IT enabled services and $9.8 billion from telecommunications, reflecting the government’s broader focus on expanding technology related exports and increasing the contribution of the sector to the national economy.
Pakistan’s ICT export remittances reached $4.6 billion during fiscal year 2025 to 2026, representing a 20.6 percent increase from $3.814 billion recorded during fiscal year 2024 to 2025. The sector has recorded considerable changes over the past several years, with ICT exports rising from $2.108 billion in fiscal year 2020 to 2021 to $2.619 billion in fiscal year 2021 to 2022, before declining slightly to $2.596 billion in fiscal year 2022 to 2023. Export revenue then increased to $3.223 billion in fiscal year 2023 to 2024 and reached $3.812 billion in fiscal year 2024 to 2025. The government considers ICT to be the strongest segment of Pakistan’s services sector and says it generates the country’s largest trade surplus within services. The latest export figures provide the base from which the government intends to pursue the much larger 2030 target.
Several measures have already been introduced to facilitate IT exporters and freelancers. Pakistan Software Export Board is working with banks and State Bank of Pakistan to make foreign payment and exchange related transactions easier, while banks have established dedicated desks and specialized branches for IT exporters. State Bank of Pakistan has also updated the Proceed Realization Certificate process and expanded the Digital Service Providers List. The government has introduced a one working day limit for processing export receipts and outward remittances from Exporters Special Foreign Currency Accounts, while paperwork requirements for individual export transactions have also been reduced. The threshold for Form R has been increased to transactions above $25,000, and documentation for outward remittances has been standardized. Tax related measures include the extension of the 0.25 percent Final Tax Regime for IT exports through Tax Year 2029, along with a reduction in advance tax on foreign card payments from 5 percent to 0.5 percent. Venture capital funds have also regained tax pass through treatment, while the Section 65F technology tax credit will continue as part of the government’s measures to support technology investment and startups.
Pakistan Software Export Board has also expanded its presence by opening new offices in Gilgit Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while its 24 hour MARKAZ helpdesk provides assistance related to registration, visa facilitation and foreign remittance matters. To support the $25.1 billion target, the government plans to invest in technology skills and workforce development through specialized training programs, international certifications, bootcamps and apprenticeships. Plans also include expanding IT parks, software technology parks, special technology zones and digital innovation facilities to provide additional infrastructure for technology companies and service providers. International marketing is another part of the strategy, with proposed trade delegations, business to business matchmaking initiatives and investor outreach intended to connect Pakistani technology companies with international clients and investors. These measures are expected to form part of the government’s broader effort to increase IT and telecommunications exports and build the capacity required to move from the current $4.6 billion level toward the $25.1 billion target by 2030.
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