Pakistani freelancers are on track to join the one billion dollar export club by the end of the current fiscal year, according to the Pakistan Freelancers Association.
Founder Chairman Ibrahim Amin said that freelancers earned $700 million during the last fiscal year, while earnings in the first half of the ongoing fiscal year have already crossed $550 million, reflecting strong growth in the country’s digital services exports.
He noted that despite the rising contribution to foreign exchange earnings, freelancers continue to face challenges in receiving remittances from abroad. For the past 10 years, a single foreign financial institution has been providing payment services to freelancers, creating bottlenecks and operational difficulties.
The association has proposed that the government, the State Bank of Pakistan and other financial institutions should explore new international payment partners to facilitate smoother transfer of funds.
Ibrahim Amin said that freelancers should be acknowledged in the same manner as leading exporters, given their growing contribution to the national economy. He stressed the need to equip freelancers with awareness of modern foreign technologies to remain competitive in the global marketplace.
The association also demanded that freelancers be given opportunities to participate in international conferences and exhibitions, similar to exporters from other sectors. It called for structured training programmes to help freelancers market their services more effectively.
Highlighting the long-term potential of the sector, the association urged the government to introduce measures encouraging freelancers to upgrade their operations and transition towards forming companies, thereby strengthening Pakistan’s digital export base.
