Foreign investors repatriated $864.3 million in profits and dividends from Pakistan during the first quarter of fiscal year 2026-27, up 7.67% from $802.7 million a year earlier, as stronger foreign exchange reserves helped the country accommodate higher dollar outflows, according to State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) data.
Profit repatriation reached $306.8 million in September, up 3.58% from August and 92.96% from the same month last year. The September total comprised $296.1 million in payments related to foreign direct investment (FDI) and $10.7 million linked to foreign portfolio investment (FPI).
During July-September, payments associated with FDI accounted for $844.4 million of total repatriation, compared with $785.6 million in the same period last year. Outflows linked to portfolio investment reached $20 million, up from $17.1 million a year earlier.
The United Kingdom was the largest source of profit and dividend repatriation during the first quarter, with payments reaching $188.5 million in July-September FY2027, down from $213.2 million a year earlier.
China ranked second, with $315.1 million in FDI-related payments during the quarter, compared with $205.6 million in the same period last year. The Netherlands followed with $113.5 million, up from $92.3 million.
The United States recorded $55.7 million in total repatriation, down from $68.6 million a year earlier, while Switzerland accounted for $32.5 million, compared with $32 million in the corresponding period last year.
The United Arab Emirates recorded $29 million, down from $48.6 million a year earlier. South Korea accounted for $23.8 million, compared with $25.2 million, while France recorded $15.3 million, up from $600,000 in the same period last year.
These figures cover payments classified by country in the SBP’s repatriation table and include both FDI- and FPI-related payments where reported.
Financial businesses accounted for the largest share of repatriated earnings during the first quarter, with outflows rising to $242.5 million from $234.9 million in the same period last year.
The power sector ranked second, with profit repatriation increasing to $217.7 million from $186 million. Outflows from the communications sector also rose, reaching $90.1 million compared with $68.3 million a year earlier.
The increase in profit repatriation comes as Pakistan’s foreign exchange position has improved. Last week, the SBP governor told global investors that the economy had become more resilient to domestic and external shocks.
Official foreign exchange reserves recovered from less than $3 billion in February 2023 to $21.5 billion as of October 9, according to the original report.
The stronger reserve position has helped Pakistan accommodate higher payments to foreign investors while managing external pressures, including increased import costs linked to geopolitical tensions.
The latest figures show that profit and dividend outflows continued to rise in the opening quarter of FY2027, with financial businesses and the power sector accounting for the largest amounts repatriated. The UK, China and the Netherlands were the largest country-level sources of payments recorded in the SBP’s table.
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