Gilgit-Baltistan’s freelancing community is generating an estimated $15 million annually, far exceeding the $3.5 million revenue of local IT companies. The region’s tech sector, including both freelancers and firms, earns between $15 million and $18 million per year, according to the Gilgit-Baltistan IT and ITeS Sector Diagnostic Report by P@SHA. Freelancers, numbering 3,000–4,000, provide services globally in software development, content writing, graphic design, and digital marketing.
The report highlights that freelancing allows talent to work from GB’s remote areas while serving international clients. Despite challenges in infrastructure, connectivity, and weather, GB boasts one of Pakistan’s highest literacy rates, contributing to a skilled and motivated workforce. Experts say structured skills training, mentorship, and continuous learning programs are still needed to fully utilize the region’s human capital.
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Pakistan Freelancers Association Chairman Ibrahim Amin praised GB’s freelancers, emphasizing the role of collaboration between skills-development institutions, banks, NGOs, and the government. He called for further investment in youth facilitation and training to attract more foreign exchange. PAFLA continues to organize initiatives such as Freelance Fest Gilgit to connect freelancers with national opportunities.
Digital transformation is gaining pace in GB with expanded mobile broadband, the creation of technology parks, and the rise of local startups. Since 2018, the government’s Special Communications Organization (SCO) and Aga Khan Development Network have established tech parks and freelancing hubs, providing office space, internet, backup power, and training for over 3,000 students. These efforts have created more than 1,000 jobs and supported the region’s first formally registered IT companies.
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Despite growth, challenges remain. Unreliable electricity and patchy high-speed internet affect 88% of IT firms, slowing operations. Currently, around 300 IT/ITeS companies are registered in GB, though only 100–120 are active. The total tech workforce is estimated at 6,000–7,000, including both freelancers and company employees, signaling strong potential for future expansion if infrastructure and support systems improve.