Islamabad, April 09, 2025 – Pakistan is poised to transform its energy surplus into a catalyst for technological advancement, with plans to establish Bitcoin mining hubs and AI data centers, according to Bilal Bin Saqib, head of Pakistan’s Crypto Council and a key adviser to the finance ministry. This ambitious initiative aims to address the dual challenge of excess electricity and rising tariffs while propelling the nation into the digital age.
The country’s power grid has faced a paradox in recent years: overcapacity from traditional sources coupled with a solar energy boom that’s driving households off the grid. Saqib told Reuters that the government intends to channel this untapped energy into cutting-edge digital infrastructure. “We’re identifying regions with surplus power to host these facilities,” he said, emphasizing a strategy that optimizes resources and fuels Pakistan’s tech aspirations.
Pakistan’s crypto landscape is already thriving, with an estimated 15–20 million users placing it among the world’s top 10 crypto-adopting nations—remarkable for a market yet to be fully regulated. Saqib, a vocal advocate for digital innovation, highlighted the nation’s third-place ranking in the global freelance economy, a sector ripe for blockchain and fintech integration.
To accelerate this shift, Saqib is pushing for regulatory sandboxes—controlled environments where startups can experiment with blockchain and AI solutions without immediate oversight. “This could unlock immense potential,” he noted, envisioning a future where Pakistan’s youth, upskilled in these fields, drive job growth and digital exports.
The move has sparked optimism among tech enthusiasts, who see it as a chance to position Pakistan as a leader in emerging technologies. By marrying surplus energy with digital innovation, the government hopes to not only stabilize its power sector but also cement its place on the global tech map.
