Islamabad: Remittances from Pakistani workers abroad amounted to $3.2 billion in April 2025, marking a 13% increase year-on-year, according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Friday.
A brokerage firm commented on the development, noting that the $3.2 billion figure for April pushes the cumulative remittances for the first 10 months of FY2024-25 (10MFY25) to $31 billion, representing a 31% rise over the same period last fiscal year.
It attributed the robust April inflows primarily to Pakistani workers in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the UK, and the United States. Specifically, remittances stood at $725 million from Saudi Arabia, $658 million from the UAE, $535 million from the UK, and $302 million from the US.
The government had earlier projected $35 billion in remittances for the ongoing fiscal year, but analysts are now optimistic the total may exceed expectations. “Given the current trend, the annual inflows could touch $36 billion,” estimated a senior currency dealer from the interbank market.
A recent report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) observed that overseas Pakistani workers tend to remit more when economic sentiment improves at home.
The study established a positive correlation between domestic growth prospects and increased remittance inflows.
Breakdown of Country-Wise Inflows
According to the SBP’s April data, Saudi Arabia continued to be the top source of remittances. Pakistani expatriates in the kingdom sent $725.4 million, a 2% increase compared to April 2024, though this figure reflected a 26% decline from March 2025.
The United Arab Emirates followed with $657.6 million in remittances for April. Compared to March’s inflow of $841.9 million, this was a 22% drop month-on-month, although year-on-year growth stood at 21%, up from $542.5 million in April 2024.
From the United Kingdom, Pakistani workers sent $535.3 million, down 22% from March’s $683.8 million. However, compared to April 2024, remittances from the UK increased significantly by 33%.
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Meanwhile, inflows from the United States came in at $302.4 million, marking a 28% decline month-on-month.
Prime Minister Applauds Overseas Pakistanis
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the strong performance of remittances in a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, expressing satisfaction over the 31% growth seen in the first 10 months of the fiscal year.
He credited Overseas Pakistanis for their continued trust in the country’s economic direction and called the surge in remittances a reflection of their patriotism and confidence in national policies.
“The contribution of our citizens abroad is instrumental to Pakistan’s economic development,” the statement read. “They are not only supporting their families but also stabilizing the national economy.”
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The significant increase in remittance inflows provides a much-needed boost to Pakistan’s external account at a time when the country continues to face balance-of-payment challenges and seeks to bolster its foreign exchange reserves.
