Pakistan earns $517m from IT services export

Pakistan earned $ 517.630 million by providing different information technology ( IT) services in various countries during the first five months of current financial year 2019- 20.

This shows growth of 18.46 percent when compared to $ 436.970 million earned through provision of services during the corresponding period of fiscal year 2018- 19, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported.

During the period under review, the computer services grew by 24.60 percent as it surged from $316.350 million last year to $394.160 million during July-November (201920). Among the computer services, the exports of software consultancy services witnessed increase of 11.72 percent, from $142.595 million to $159.303 million while the export and import of computer software related services also rose by 8.17 percent, from $ 119.127 million to $128.860 million.

The exports of hardware consultancy services witnessed decrease of 25.71 from, $ 0.704 million to $0.523 million whereas the exports of maintenance and repairs of computer services decreased by 62.82, from $2.886 million to $1.073 million.

Meanwhile, the export of information services during the period under review increased by 33.33 percent by going up from $0.600 million to $ 0.800 million.

Among the information services, the exports of news agency services increased by 63.53 percent, from $0.266 million to $ 0.435 million whereas the exports of other information services also increased by 9.28 percent, from $0.334 million to $0.365 million.

The export of telecommunication services witness nominal increase of 2.21 percent as these went up from $120.020 million to 122.670 million during current period, the data revealed.

Among the telecommunication services, the export of call centres services increased by 13.55 percent during the period as its exports increased from $ 40.337 million to $45.803 million whereas the export of telecommunication services witness nominal decline of 3.53 percent, from $79.683 million to $76.867 million during last year, the PBS data revealed.