The announcement, made at an event in Karachi, follows months of speculation about Daraz's plans for 2026.
The broader picture is one of steady growth. Internet penetration now exceeds 35% of the population, and mobile broadband subscriptions have more than doubled since 2020.
Several competitors have made similar bets. SadaPay expanded into Multan earlier this year, while Anthropic has been quietly hiring engineers in Lahore and Islamabad.
Key takeaways
Investors remain cautiously optimistic. Total venture funding into Pakistani startups reached $300 million in Q4 2026, the strongest quarter since 2021.
"Students who learn to work with AI tools today will define the workforce of 2035."
Danish Ali, spokesperson at Daraz
Industry observers say the timing is significant. Pakistan's e-commerce sector grew 15% last year, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, even as venture funding across South Asia slowed sharply.
The bigger picture
Universities are responding too. COMSATS has added new courses in telecom, and enrolment in computer science programmes rose 27% this year.
Key points
- Roughly 30 jobs expected over the next two years
- Partnership with GIKI to train local engineers
- Rollout begins in Hyderabad and Sialkot before expanding nationwide
- Funding round values the company at about $300 million
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.
Security experts have urged users to enable two-factor authentication and to update their apps promptly, noting that attackers increasingly target mobile-first markets.
Reporting by the WritePures newsroom. Have a tip? Contact our editors.
0 Comments
Join the conversation
Replying toNo comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.