Pakistan's information technology exports reached an all-time high of $4.2 billion in the outgoing fiscal year, according to central bank data, with freelancer remittances contributing a growing share of the total.
Industry bodies credit the improvement to simplified foreign exchange retention rules, which now allow IT firms and freelancers to keep a larger share of earnings in dollar accounts and spend them on international services without approvals.
The Pakistan Software Export Board says the country's registered freelancer base has crossed three million, ranking among the top five globally on major platforms.
Challenges remain: payment gateway access is still incomplete, and industry leaders continue to push for a full PayPal alternative, arguing the absence costs the economy hundreds of millions in lost or discounted payments each year.