According to the the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), freelancers of computer and IT services fetched $856 million by the end of third quarter of the current financial year 2025-26 as compared to $567 million reported in the same period of the last financial year, showing a 50% growth or $289 million record upsurge.
Pakistani freelancers are enhancing their contribution in global freelancing market, despite multiple challenges and issues of internet and loadshedding.
Ibrahim Amin, the Chairman of Pakistan Freelancers Association (PAFLA) told Daily Times, that Pakistani freelancers shall bring 1 billion USD by the end of FY26, however, the real number is 3 billion USD, which can be brought through legal banking channels, if there were a rationalized mechanism of payments.
Amin told, that on every 100 USD, the freelancers pay 35 percent of taxes in terms of SWIFT and other various charges. He urged the Central Bank Governor, Jameel Ahmad to initiate reforms like enabling debit card transfer and directing the commercial banks to open doors for the freelancers.
PAFLA Chairman said that persistent internet slowdowns are adversely affecting the productivity of freelancers and online workers, he said, that slow and interrupted internet connectivity, combined with frequent electricity outages, has significantly worsened working conditions for freelancers.
As a result, many struggle to meet project deadlines, which can negatively impact their platform rankings and damage their professional credibility.
According to the Asian Development Bank, Pakistan is home to over 2.37 million freelancers, ranking among the top countries globally in terms of freelance workforce size.
The PAFLA chairman expressed optimism that the rollout of 5G technology will significantly improve internet speeds in near future, enhancing the productivity of freelancers, content creators, and other online professionals across the country.