Creative Industries Pakistan
Global Development Pakistan at Red Yellow Blue (RYB)
Pakistan’s creative industries are a dynamic and evolving sector, deeply rooted in the country’s rich cultural heritage and bolstered by a growing contemporary creative economy. These industries span diverse fields such as film, music, fashion, visual arts, crafts, literature, digital media, and advertising, contributing significantly to the country’s cultural identity and economic development.

Located at the crossroads of Asia, Pakistan has become a focal point for Investors and has in recent years, gained recognition as an important market among other textile manufacturing countries of the region. Considered as one of the top 10 textile exporting countries of the world, Pakistan is the 4th largest producer of cotton yarn and cloth, and the 3rd largest player in Asia with a spinning capacity of 5% of total world production. It also ranks 2nd in the export of yarn, 3rd in the export of cloth and contributes 3% to the total textile trade of the world.IGATEX
Key Sectors
- Fashion and Textiles: Pakistan’s fashion industry is internationally renowned for its intricate embroidery, handwoven fabrics, and contemporary designs. The annual Fashion Pakistan Week showcases the talent of local designers and promotes traditional crafts like ajrak, block printing, and handloom weaving to global audiences.
- Music: From Sufi qawwalis to modern pop and rock, Pakistani music has a global following. Artists like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and contemporary bands such as Junoon and Coke Studio performers have brought Pakistani music to international platforms.
- Film and Television: Pakistan’s film industry, often referred to as Lollywood, has experienced a revival in recent years with critically acclaimed productions like The Legend of Maula Jatt. The television industry remains influential, with dramas gaining popularity across South Asia and the diaspora.
- Crafts and Design: Handicrafts such as pottery, carpets, and jewelry are integral to Pakistan’s creative economy. Organizations like the Pakistan Handicrafts Association promote artisans and their work, preserving traditional skills.
- Digital Media and Animation: With a young and tech-savvy population, Pakistan has become a hub for digital content creation, animation, and gaming. Companies like WeRPlay and Caramel Tech Studios are leading in game development and digital design.

The Centaurus is a mixed use real estate development in the most prime location of Islamabad, which is rapidly taking its shape to be one of the most desirable addresses in Pakistan.
Cultural Heritage and Diversity
Pakistan’s creative industries draw from its centuries-old traditions, influenced by a blend of South Asian, Persian, Central Asian, and Islamic cultures. This diversity is reflected in its crafts, textiles, music, and architecture. Cities like Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad serve as cultural hubs, fostering artistic innovation while preserving traditional practices.
Economic Contribution
The creative industries contribute to Pakistan’s GDP by generating employment and export revenues. The textile and apparel sector, a subset of the creative economy, accounts for over 60% of the country’s total exports. Additionally, the growing digital creative industry is positioning Pakistan as a competitive outsourcing destination.
Challenges
Despite its potential, Pakistan’s creative industries face challenges such as limited funding, lack of infrastructure, and inadequate intellectual property protections. Political instability and economic constraints also hinder growth, making it difficult for creative professionals to scale their work.
Government Initiatives
The government and private organizations have started recognizing the importance of creative industries. Initiatives like the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) and the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) aim to preserve and promote cultural heritage. Additionally, the Pakistan Creative Economy Framework is being developed to support the sector.
Trends and Future Outlook
The rise of e-commerce platforms and social media has opened new avenues for Pakistani creatives to reach global markets. Platforms like Daraz and Etsy are enabling artisans and designers to sell their products internationally. Moreover, collaborations between local and international artists are fostering cultural exchange and innovation.
With its rich heritage and youthful energy, Pakistan’s creative industries have immense potential to contribute to economic growth and cultural diplomacy. By addressing systemic challenges and investing in talent, Pakistan can further establish itself as a vibrant hub for creativity and innovation.

Texpo 2024 fashion show highlights Pakistani designers’ creativity and sustainability concepts
Cultural and Creative Industries in Pakistan | British Council Report
Pakistan’s contemporary creative economy is founded on a rich and diverse cultural, creative and artistic heritage. Visual arts and crafts, books and press, performance, audio-visual and interactive media, and design and creative
Services are all well represented nationally, with strong representation in some sectors
provincially. Common to many developing countries, the urban centres and their emergent middle-class populations are major arenas of creative endeavour with international connections and markets, providing new opportunities,
particularly for Pakistan’s youthful population.
In addition, rural Pakistan makes its own contribution with a highly diverse set of craft, literary, musical and performance activities contributing to a nationwide creative economy.
Sectors such as crafts and design are creating economic opportunities for Pakistani women, who are also increasingly represented in other Creative Industries sectors. The uptake of new technologies is also set to engage wider sections of Pakistan’s population in creative opportunities beyond those typical of the urban centres.
Read the article britishcouncil.org/research-policy-insight/research-reports/cultural-creative-industries-pakistan
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Population: 252,363,571
Capital: Islamabad
Internet country code: .pk
Economy
Decades of internal political disputes and low levels of foreign investment have led to underdevelopment in Pakistan. Pakistan has a large English-speaking population, with English-language skills less prevalent outside urban centers. Despite some progress in recent years in both security and energy, a challenging security environment, electricity shortages, and a burdensome investment climate have traditionally deterred investors. Agriculture accounts for one-fifth of output and two-fifths of employment. Textiles and apparel account for more than half of Pakistan’s export earnings; Pakistan’s failure to diversify its exports has left the country vulnerable to shifts in world demand. Pakistan’s GDP growth has gradually increased since 2012, and was 5.3% in 2017. Official unemployment was 6% in 2017, but this fails to capture the true picture, because much of the economy is informal and underemployment remains high. Human development continues to lag behind most of the region.
In 2013, Pakistan embarked on a $6.3 billion IMF Extended Fund Facility, which focused on reducing energy shortages, stabilizing public finances, increasing revenue collection, and improving its balance of payments position. The program concluded in September 2016. Although Pakistan missed several structural reform criteria, it restored macroeconomic stability, improved its credit rating, and boosted growth. The Pakistani rupee has remained relatively stable against the US dollar since 2015, though it declined about 10% between November 2017 and March 2018. Balance of payments concerns have reemerged, however, as a result of a significant increase in imports and weak export and remittance growth.
Pakistan must continue to address several longstanding issues, including expanding investment in education, healthcare, and sanitation; adapting to the effects of climate change and natural disasters; improving the country’s business environment; and widening the country’s tax base. Given demographic challenges, Pakistan’s leadership will be pressed to implement economic reforms, promote further development of the energy sector, and attract foreign investment to support sufficient economic growth necessary to employ its growing and rapidly urbanizing population, much of which is under the age of 25.
In an effort to boost development, Pakistan and China are implementing the “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor” (CPEC) with $60 billion in investments targeted towards energy and other infrastructure projects. Pakistan believes CPEC investments will enable growth rates of over 6% of GDP by laying the groundwork for increased exports. CPEC-related obligations, however, have raised IMF concern about Pakistan’s capital outflows and external financing needs over the medium term.