The announcement, made at an event in Islamabad, follows months of speculation about Daraz's plans for 2026.
Analysts at Foodpanda Pakistan estimate that the addressable market could be worth $200 million by 2028, driven by a young population and rising smartphone ownership.
The numbers tell part of the story. Freelancers in Pakistan brought in $45 million in Q3 2026, and the country remains one of the largest suppliers of online talent in the world.
What critics are saying
For consumers, the immediate impact is likely to be modest. Prices are expected to stay flat until at least November, and the new features will roll out gradually across the country.
"If the regulator gets this right, it could unlock billions in investment. If it gets it wrong, companies will simply move offshore."
Maryam Sheikh, head of product at Abhi
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.
How the deal came together
The company said the initiative would create roughly 18 jobs over the next two years, most of them in Gujranwala and Peshawar. It did not disclose the size of the investment, but people familiar with the plans put the figure at between $18 million and $600 million.
Key points
- Competitors including Arbisoft are expected to respond within months
- Partnership with Aga Khan University to train local engineers
- Rollout begins in Peshawar and Karachi before expanding nationwide
- Regulatory approval from the Ministry of IT and Telecom still pending
Behind the scenes, the deal took nearly 75 months to negotiate, according to two people involved in the talks who asked not to be named because the discussions were private.
Universities are responding too. Aga Khan University has added new courses in cloud infrastructure, and enrolment in computer science programmes rose 42% this year.
Reporting by the WritePures newsroom. Have a tip? Contact our editors.
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