ISLAMABAD-Pakistan earned $ 286 million by providing different information technology (IT) services in various countries during the first two months of fiscal year 2020-21. This shows growth of 35.58 per cent when compared to $210.940 million earned through provision of services during the corresponding period of last fiscal year 2019-20, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported. 
During the period under review, the computer services grew by 37.27 per cent as it surged from $162.300 million last year to $222.790 million during July-August (2020-21). Among the computer services, the exports of software consultancy services witnessed increase of 16.10 per cent, from $62.468 million to $72.526 million while the export of hardware consultancy services however witnessed decrease of 76.01 per cent, from $0.321 million to $0.077 million.
The export of repair and maintenance services also decline by 86.27 per cent from $0.517 million to $0.071 million whereas the export and imports of computer software services witnessed increase of 13.86 per cent, from $49.854 million to $56.762 million. In addition the exports of other computer services rose by 89.98 per cent from $49.140 million to $93.354 million. Meanwhile, the export of information services during the period under review increased by 65.52 per cent by going up from $ 0.290 million to $ 0.480m.
Among the information services, the exports of news agency services also increased by 133 per cent, from $0.100 million to $0.233 million whereas the exports of other information services rose by 30 per cent, from $0.190 million to $ 0.247 million. The export of telecommunication services increased by 29.74 per cent as these went up from $48.350 million to $62.730 million, the data revealed.
Among the telecommunication services, the export of call centres services increased by 23.19 per cent during the period as its exports increased from $16.148 million to $19.892 million whereas the export of other telecommunication services also increased by 33.03 per cent, from $32.202 million to $42.838 million during last year, the PBS data revealed.
It is pertinent to mention here that the country’s services trade deficit contracted by 50.41 per cent during the first two months of the current financial year (2019-20) as compared to the corresponding period of last year. 
During the period from July-August 2020-21, services exports decreased by 14.26 per cent, whereas imports reduced by 32.81 per cent, according the data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. The services worth $758 million exported during the period under review as compared the exports of $884.14 million in same period of last year, whereas imports of services into the country was recorded at $1220.12 million as against the imports of $1815.91 million, the data revealed.