KARACHI: Pakistan’s rapidly expanding freelancing sector is expected to generate more than $2.5 billion in earnings during the current fiscal year, according to the Pakistan Freelancers Association.
Ibrahim Amin, founder and chairman of the association, said Pakistan has emerged as the world’s fourth-largest emerging freelancing market, with the country’s freelance export earnings showing strong growth.
According to Amin, Pakistani freelancers generated $1.76 billion in export earnings during the previous fiscal year. In July, the first month of the current fiscal year, freelancers earned around $17 million in export revenue.
The government is set to celebrate the sector’s performance at an event scheduled for August 29 at Governor House Karachi, where Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja is expected to attend and encourage Pakistani freelancers.
Amin also called on the government to reconsider the 5% tax imposed on educational platforms operating on YouTube, arguing that educational and entertainment platforms should not be placed in the same tax category. He urged the authorities to either exempt active educational platforms from the tax or reduce the rate to 1%.
He said Pakistan currently has more than three million freelancers, adding that supportive government policies could further expand the sector and increase the country’s earnings from IT-enabled services.
The association believes continued policy support, improved digital infrastructure and greater opportunities for online workers could help Pakistan further strengthen its position in the global freelancing industry.
YouTube Premium Gets More Expensive as Google Raises Subscription Prices
Meanwhile, YouTube Premium subscribers in several countries will have to pay more for the ad-free video service starting next month, as Google moves to increase monthly subscription prices.
The price revision would come into effect from September 23, 2026, as per which the higher price would be charged from the customers from their next billing cycle onwards.
It has been reported that the price of the individual plan of YouTube Premium in some European countries would be raised from €13.99 to €15.99 per month. In the case of Finland, the cost would be increased from €14.99 to €16.99.
In Romania, the individual subscription price would be increased from 29 Romanian lei to 32 lei per month.
In Singapore, there would be an increase in the charges for the subscribers as well. Here, the individual plan would be increased from S$13.98 to S$15.98 per month, and the family plan from S$27.98 to S$31.98 per month.
Google is unveiling the details of the price increase in various countries one after the other. Google had raised YouTube Premium subscription prices earlier in the US where some of its subscription plans became up to $4 per month costlier.
However, YouTube Premium price increase is not a common phenomenon. When it takes place, it usually happens gradually market-wise rather than being implemented in the entire world at once.
As per Google, the price increase for those affected subscribers would be applicable from their next billing date provided the billing date was on or after September 23, 2026.
