SIALKOT - the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority announced on Wednesday that it opened applications for a national innovation fund, according to a statement released to reporters.
Employees will be offered training through a partnership with UET Lahore, the company said, with a focus on cloud engineering, data analysis and product management.
Not everyone is convinced. Critics point to a shortage of skilled engineers, unreliable power supply and a tax regime that changes almost every budget cycle as reasons for caution.
Key takeaways
The numbers tell part of the story. Freelancers in Pakistan brought in $25 million in Q4 2025, and the country remains one of the largest suppliers of online talent in the world.
"Every startup founder in Hyderabad is asking the same question: how do we compete with global platforms on a fraction of the budget?"
Zainab Qureshi, research director at NetSol Technologies
The broader picture is one of steady growth. Internet penetration now exceeds 30% of the population, and mobile broadband subscriptions have more than doubled since 2020.
What users should expect
Several competitors have made similar bets. Retailo expanded into Peshawar earlier this year, while Google has been quietly hiring engineers in Lahore and Islamabad.
Key points
- Roughly 500 jobs expected over the next two years
- Pricing to remain unchanged until at least August
- Funding round values the company at about $120 million
- Rollout begins in Hyderabad and Quetta before expanding nationwide
Still, questions remain about long-term sustainability. Margins in the edtech business are thin, and customer acquisition costs have risen sharply since 2019.
Analysts at 10Pearls estimate that the addressable market could be worth $250 million by 2027, driven by a young population and rising smartphone ownership.
Reporting by the WritePures newsroom. Have a tip? Contact our editors.
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