PM thanks overseas Pakistanis as remittances hit record $3.6bn in December

Inflows jump 16.5% year-on-year, lifting first-half FY26 remittances to $19.7bn

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has thanked overseas Pakistanis after remittances rose to a record $3.6 billion in December 2025, giving a major boost to the country’s economy.

In a statement, the prime minister said remittances increased 16.5% compared to the same month last year, calling it a sign of the “strong confidence” of overseas Pakistanis in the government’s economic policies.

He said by rejecting what he described as “propaganda” and continuing to support Pakistan’s construction and development through remittances, overseas Pakistanis had shown deep commitment to the country. The remarks were a reference to the opposition PTI’s anti-government stance.

وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف کا دسمبر 2025 میں گزشتہ برس کے مقابلے ریکارڈ ترسیلاتِ زر بھیجنے پر سمندر پار مقیم پاکستانیوں سے اظہارِ تشکر

"دسمبر 2025 میں محبِ وطن سمندر پار مقیم پاکستانیوں نے 3.6 ارب ڈالر کی ترسیلاتِ زر بھیجیں، جن پر ان کے مشکور ہیں۔ سمندر پار مقیم پاکستانیوں کی… pic.twitter.com/k7gl3PNc96

— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) January 11, 2026

Describing overseas Pakistanis as a “valuable national asset”, Shehbaz said the nation took pride in their contribution and that their welfare and well-being remained among the government’s top priorities.

State broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported that overall foreign remittances rose 13% in December to reach the historic high of $3.6 billion. The surge pushed total remittances in the first half of fiscal year 2025-26 to $19.7 billion, a sharp 41% increase compared with the same period last year.

Read: Remittances rise to $19.7b in H1

According to a country-wise breakdown, Saudi Arabia remained the largest source of remittances with $813 million, followed by the United Arab Emirates with $726 million, the United Kingdom with $560 million and the United States with $302 million.

Adviser to the Finance Minister Khurram Schehzad said the record inflows reflected continued trust of overseas Pakistanis in the government’s economic direction. He said the strong involvement of the diaspora in the economy was a guarantee of long-term stability, sustainable growth and a brighter future.

Remittance inflows continued their strong upward trend during the first half of FY26, providing vital support to Pakistan’s external account at a time of weakening export performance.

According to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan, remittances rose 11% year-on-year to $19.7 billion during the first half of FY26, highlighting the growing role of overseas Pakistanis in stabilising the economy.

Read More: Overseas Pakistanis send record $3.2b

The growth was driven by a sharp surge in December inflows, which climbed 17% year-on-year to a record $3.6 billion, up from $3.1 billion in the same month last year.

On a month-on-month basis, remittances increased 13%, showing sustained momentum toward the end of the calendar year. Brokerage firms, including Topline Securities, attributed the rise to higher manpower exports in previous years, a narrowing gap between formal and informal exchange rates and the continuation of government incentive schemes to encourage official remittance flows.

Looking ahead, analysts have maintained a full-year FY26 remittance target of $41 billion, up 7.5% from $38 billion in FY25. If achieved, it would rank among the highest annual inflows in Pakistan’s history.

Economists, however, cautioned that while rising remittances help ease short-term balance-of-payments pressures, lasting external stability will depend on long-delayed trade, industrial and export-led structural reforms.