Pakistan's healthtech industry is entering a new phase after Zong opened a regional headquarters, executives and investors told WritePures this week.
Security experts have urged users to enable two-factor authentication and to update their apps promptly, noting that attackers increasingly target mobile-first markets.
Industry observers say the timing is significant. Pakistan's cybersecurity sector grew 30% last year, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, even as venture funding across South Asia slowed sharply.
The regulatory angle
Universities are responding too. GIKI has added new courses in renewable energy, and enrolment in computer science programmes rose 8% this year.
"Students who learn to work with AI tools today will define the workforce of 2035."
Ayesha Siddiqui, professor of computer science at Airlift
Still, questions remain about long-term sustainability. Margins in the mobile payments business are thin, and customer acquisition costs have risen sharply since 2021.
Background
The service will initially be available in Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad, with a nationwide launch planned for later in 2028.
Key points
- Funding round values the company at about $45 million
- Regulatory approval from Ignite National Technology Fund still pending
- New features will support Urdu alongside English
- Roughly 60 jobs expected over the next two years
The move comes as regulators tighten oversight. the Karachi Chamber of Commerce issued new guidelines in January requiring companies to store customer data locally and to report security incidents within 72 hours.
The company said the initiative would create roughly 80 jobs over the next two years, most of them in Rawalpindi and Gujranwala. It did not disclose the size of the investment, but people familiar with the plans put the figure at between $80 million and $750 million.
Reporting by the WritePures newsroom. Have a tip? Contact our editors.
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