A new report from the Federal Board of Revenue shows that nearly half of freelancers are under 30, raising fresh questions about how quickly the sector can scale.
Analysts at Foodpanda Pakistan estimate that the addressable market could be worth $45 million by 2028, driven by a young population and rising smartphone ownership.
For consumers, the immediate impact is likely to be modest. Prices are expected to stay flat until at least February, and the new features will roll out gradually across the country.
The view from investors
Several competitors have made similar bets. Zong expanded into Hyderabad earlier this year, while OpenAI has been quietly hiring engineers in Lahore and Islamabad.
"The talent is here. What has been missing is patient capital and predictable policy."
Nadia Hussain, venture partner at PostEx
Government officials welcomed the development. A spokesperson for the State Bank of Pakistan said the initiative "aligns with the national digital agenda" and promised faster approvals for similar projects.
How the deal came together
The move comes as regulators tighten oversight. the Special Technology Zones Authority issued new guidelines in January requiring companies to store customer data locally and to report security incidents within 72 hours.
Key points
- New features will support Urdu alongside English
- Pricing to remain unchanged until at least June
- Rollout begins in Multan and Gujranwala before expanding nationwide
- Regulatory approval from the Pakistan Software Export Board still pending
The numbers tell part of the story. Freelancers in Pakistan brought in $60 million in Q4 2026, and the country remains one of the largest suppliers of online talent in the world.
Employees will be offered training through a partnership with FAST-NUCES, the company said, with a focus on cloud engineering, data analysis and product management.
Reporting by the WritePures newsroom. Have a tip? Contact our editors.
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