ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s services exports grew by 22.8% during July–September 2026, helping lift the country’s combined goods and services exports despite continued pressure from imports.
The figures were presented by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal in the government’s October development update on October 29.
Exports of information and communication technology (ICT) services reached $1.2 billion during the first quarter of the 2026–27 financial year.
The figures point to the growing contribution of services, particularly technology-related work, to Pakistan’s foreign exchange earnings.
Services support overall export growth
According to the update, combined exports of goods and services rose by 11% to $11.2 billion in July–September.
Merchandise exports increased by 7.7% to $8.5 billion, compared with $7.9 billion in the same period a year earlier.
Services exports grew at a faster rate than goods exports, making them an important part of the overall increase.
The government also reported growth in several merchandise categories, including food exports, which rose 17.1%, and petroleum products, which increased 44.5%.
Engineering goods exports grew by 4.9%, while textile exports rose 2.5%.
Focus on expanding export capacity
Iqbal said Pakistan needed to strengthen its export base rather than rely excessively on remittances and external financing.
He called for provinces and districts to identify products with export potential and develop plans to help businesses reach overseas markets.
The minister said he had written to provincial chief ministers encouraging the creation of provincial export boards and district-level export development plans.
Workers’ remittances also rose by 14% to $10.9 billion during the quarter, providing another source of foreign exchange.
The latest update places services exports at the centre of the government’s effort to increase Pakistan’s earnings from international markets.