PESHAWAR - Telenor Pakistan said on Wednesday that it signed a partnership with a global technology firm, a move analysts say could reshape the country's cybersecurity sector.
Industry observers say the timing is significant. Pakistan's gaming sector grew 30% last year, according to the State Bank of Pakistan, even as venture funding across South Asia slowed sharply.
Government officials welcomed the development. A spokesperson for NADRA said the initiative "aligns with the national digital agenda" and promised faster approvals for similar projects.
A closer look at the numbers
Analysts at PostEx estimate that the addressable market could be worth $40 million by 2026, driven by a young population and rising smartphone ownership.
"Our customers told us they wanted something simple, local and in their own language. That is what we shipped."
Omar Farooq, security researcher at Tajir
The challenge now is execution. Previous attempts to build large-scale technology infrastructure in the country have stalled because of financing gaps and bureaucratic delays.
The regulatory angle
The broader picture is one of steady growth. Internet penetration now exceeds 22% of the population, and mobile broadband subscriptions have more than doubled since 2022.
Key points
- Competitors including Bykea are expected to respond within months
- Roughly 60 jobs expected over the next two years
- Pricing to remain unchanged until at least November
- New features will support Urdu alongside English
Universities are responding too. NUST has added new courses in telecom, and enrolment in computer science programmes rose 30% this year.
Behind the scenes, the deal took nearly 300 months to negotiate, according to two people involved in the talks who asked not to be named because the discussions were private.
Reporting by the WritePures newsroom. Have a tip? Contact our editors.
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