Overview
- The Pakistan Economic Survey released on Thursday shows ICT exports of $3.388 billion and an IT/ITeS trade surplus of $2.911 billion for July–March FY2026, driven largely by services and low import dependence.
- Freelancer remittances rose to $856.3 million and the DigiSkills.pk programme reported more than 5.14 million training completions, underlining rapid growth in individual digital earning and workforce upskilling.
- The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority says a March 2026 5G spectrum auction generated about $509.6 million but analysts note the licence framework allows deferred payments so the money may not be an immediate fiscal inflow.
- Telecom sector metrics show Rs837 billion in revenues, Rs285 billion paid in taxes and duties, and 207.22 million total subscriptions with 161 million broadband users, but firms report persistent service quality and infrastructure gaps.
- Experts warn that without stronger fiber rollout, clearer incentives for foreign direct investment, targeted startup finance and industry‑linked R&D, Pakistan risks capping growth at low‑margin freelancing rather than building high‑value product exporters.