‘Freelancers’ earnings likely to cross $2.5bn this year’

KARACHI: The freelancing market is rapidly emerging, with export earnings of Pakistani freelancers expected to exceed $2.5 billion during the current fiscal year, according to a statement on Monday

According to Ibrahim Amin, founder and chairperson of the Pakistan Freelancers Association, Pakistan has emerged as the fourth-largest emerging freelancing market in the world. Pakistani freelancers recorded export earnings of $1.76 billion during the last fiscal year, while in July, the first month of the current fiscal year, they generated $175 million

Amin said the government has organised an event at the Governor House Karachi on August 29 to celebrate the achievements of Pakistani freelancers, which will be attended by Federal Minister for Information Technology (IT) and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja

He also called on the government to exempt active educational platforms on YouTube from the 5.0 per cent tax or reduce it to 1.0 per cent, arguing that entertainment and educational platforms should not be taxed alike.Amin said the number of Pakistani freelancers has exceeded three million, and supportive policies can further boost this number and the country’s IT services export earnings

Source: www.thenews.pk