Islamabad — In a major move to empower Pakistan’s growing digital workforce, the Prime Minister’s Digital Hub initiative has decided to officially extend its facilitation and support to the country’s freelance community — a sector already bringing in over $500 million annually.
The announcement came during a recent meeting between Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Digital Hub, and Ibrahim Amin, Chairman of the Pakistan Freelancers Association (PAFLA), in Islamabad.
During the meeting, Chairman Rana Mashhood highlighted several key initiatives aimed at building a skilled digital workforce, including the establishment of 250 e-Rozgar Centers nationwide. These centers are expected to support a wide range of professionals — from blue-collar workers to tech specialists — by offering skill development, capacity-building programs, and freelance job facilitation.
He emphasized that the government’s broader vision, under the Digital Youth Hub (developed with support from UNICEF and PMYP), is to connect Pakistani youth with employment, education, and entrepreneurship opportunities, making them competitive players in the global digital economy.
PAFLA Chairman Ibrahim Amin applauded the initiative and underscored the growing significance of Pakistan’s freelance sector. “With over 2.3 million freelancers actively working across global platforms, we’re generating more than half a billion dollars in foreign exchange annually,” he said, adding that the potential exists to double these numbers with strategic government collaboration.
Amin also stressed the need for bringing international payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe to Pakistan, and called for incentives through commercial banks to support the freelance economy and push towards a cashless digital ecosystem.
Officials from the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), Ignite, Ministry of IT and Telecommunication, and Universal Service Fund (USF) were also present at the meeting, signaling a multi-stakeholder commitment to shaping a digital-first Pakistan.
