Pakistan’s BPO exports surge to $328Mn despite fraud crackdown
KARACHI, PAKISTAN — Pakistan’s call center industry has reported a landmark $328 million in foreign exchange earnings for the 2024 to 2025 financial year, cementing its status as a rising global outsourcing hub.
ProPakistani reports that this impressive 24.6% year-on-year growth is, however, shadowed by a mounting reputational crisis as authorities crack down on fraudulent “Dabba scam” operations targeting international clients.
Financial growth solidifies Pakistan BPO
The business of this sector has seen a boom, and Call Centers Association of Pakistan President Adeel Azhar attributes it to large business deals and expansions all over the United States, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the United Arab Emirates, which points to its international presence.
This financial success is built on a vast and growing infrastructure that employs over a million people nationwide.
The industry’s foundation consists of more than 1,000 call centers officially registered with the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and an estimated 500 other sizable independent operations, not counting numerous smaller units integrated within software and e-commerce agencies.
With 90% of these centers exclusively serving foreign clients, the sector is a critical engine for foreign revenue. It is strategically positioning the country to compete directly with established outsourcing giants like India and the Philippines.
Fraud crackdown tests Pakistan BPO industry reputation
Despite its remarkable economic contribution, the industry’s integrity is under threat from a minority of illicit operators running fraudulent “Dabba scam” call centers.
These contingents, which conduct fraudulent activities against people in Western nations, have caused an inevitable yet difficult crackdown on local authorities, who have so far resorted to a few arrests.
This has posed a delicate balancing act, and the whole sector is liable to be seen with the same brush. They risk losing the fragile trust of international partners, and growth may not be realized in the future.
Industry leaders are urgently working to dissociate the legitimate BPO sector from these criminal elements.
Muhammad Umair Nizam, Senior Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), reaffirmed the industry’s full support for eliminating illegal entities while vehemently arguing that the vast majority of Pakistan‘s IT and BPO sector operates with utmost professionalism and integrity.
