Pakistan's tech week was about recognition and momentum. Locally built technology took center stage at the P@SHA ICT Awards 2026, the government reported another year of strong export growth, big global tech names deepened their footprint in the country, and digital banking hit a new milestone.
Rapidev doubles up at P@SHA ICT Awards 2026
Pakistan-based technology company Rapidev won two honors at the P@SHA ICT Awards 2026, presented during a three-day program in Karachi from September 22 to 24. Its AIOS product was recognized in the Security Solutions category, while Aeropure was honored in the Sustainability and Environment category, both built entirely with local engineering.
AIOS uses artificial intelligence for intelligence and information analysis, while Aeropure addresses air-quality and environmental concerns through locally developed technology. Rapidev founder and CEO Wajid Gulistan called the double win a proud moment for the teams behind both products, crediting the engineering, development, presentation and communications staff whose combined work the awards recognized. The awards were organized by P@SHA, now officially branded as the Pakistan IT Industry Association, and winning in two very different categories highlighted how homegrown tech is being applied to both digital and environmental challenges.
IT exports keep climbing about 20 percent a year
Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said on September 21 that Pakistan's technology exports have been growing 20 to 21 percent annually in recent years. Speaking at the USEFP Innovation Hive ribbon-cutting ceremony in Islamabad, she said more than half of the country's technology exports are directed to the United States, making it Pakistan's strongest technology partner, and that the physical presence of US technology companies in Pakistan has grown in recent months.
The minister pointed to Google's Chromebook assembly line, welcomed last year, and its office opening in the country this year, adding that Apple has appointed its first head of government affairs for Pakistan, based in the country. She also cited the presence of Plug and Play as an accelerator supporting the startup ecosystem, and said the Ministry is working on initiatives to promote innovation and entrepreneurship among young Pakistanis, with Ignite serving as the national research and development fund and the Pakistan Startup Fund providing financial support to startups.
Record 4.6 billion dollar exports, but AI is reshaping jobs
State Bank of Pakistan data show IT and IT-enabled services receipts climbed to 4.6 billion dollars in fiscal year 2025-26, up about 21 percent from 3.814 billion a year earlier. The sector is now the country's largest services export category, accounting for close to half of all services earnings, though it missed the government's 5 billion dollar target by roughly 400 million. The longer-term Uraan Pakistan goal remains 10 billion dollars by FY2028-29.
The same industry is being reshaped by the technology it sells. P@SHA found entry-level hiring at major technology firms down around 25 percent, employment among developers aged 22 to 25 has fallen nearly 20 percent since 2024, and basic writing and translation work is down 32 percent year-on-year as clients switch to AI tools. The paradox of Pakistan's most celebrated export story is that its strongest year on record came alongside its fastest workforce shake-up.
Digital banking: Mashreq brings full Raast to Pakistan
Mashreq has become the first newly launched digital bank in Pakistan to offer the full suite of Raast services, including Raast Person-to-Merchant payments. Launched in August 2026, the capability lets merchants receive instant payments through Raast QR codes, while customers of any Raast-enabled bank can pay Raast-enabled merchants, supporting interoperability across the banking ecosystem.
The offering extends digital payment acceptance to grocery stores, restaurants, retail outlets, service providers and e-commerce merchants, and sole proprietors and self-employed professionals can open a Mashreq NEOBiz account to become Raast merchants. For freelancers and small businesses, account-based instant payments are a meaningful step beyond cash.
5G momentum keeps building
The connectivity backdrop keeps improving. Jazz has activated 5G services at around 180 sites covering Islamabad, all four provincial capitals and major cities including Rawalpindi, Multan and Faisalabad, while Zong has launched commercial 5G in more than 16 cities and outlined plans for over 1,000 sites by 2026, with trials recording speeds above 1.4 Gbps. Cheaper devices, instant payments and faster networks are arriving together, and for Pakistan's freelancers and startups, that combination is the real story of the week.
