Adobe expanded its developer programme to Pakistan on Tuesday, the latest sign that global technology companies are paying closer attention to South Asian markets.
The move comes as regulators tighten oversight. the Karachi Chamber of Commerce issued new guidelines in April requiring companies to store customer data locally and to report security incidents within 72 hours.
The service will initially be available in Quetta, Multan and Islamabad, with a nationwide launch planned for later in 2028.
What happens next
The company said the initiative would create roughly 15 jobs over the next two years, most of them in Islamabad and Peshawar. It did not disclose the size of the investment, but people familiar with the plans put the figure at between $15 million and $900 million.
"This is not just a Karachi story or a Lahore story. It is a Pakistan story."
Sana Malik, co-founder at Daraz
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.
What happens next
For consumers, the immediate impact is likely to be modest. Prices are expected to stay flat until at least July, and the new features will roll out gradually across the country.
Key points
- Funding round values the company at about $150 million
- Partnership with NED University to train local engineers
- Pricing to remain unchanged until at least September
- Regulatory approval from the Pakistan Software Export Board still pending
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.
Behind the scenes, the deal took nearly 250 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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