KARACHI: Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has brought the Africa-1 submarine cable ashore at its landing station in Karachi, it announced in a statement on Saturday, enhancing Pakistan’s connectivity with Saudi Arabia and other global digital hubs.
The 10,000-kilometer Africa-1 cable, a consortium-backed ultra-high-capacity system, aims to bolster international bandwidth and support Pakistan’s growing digital infrastructure.
The system will link the country with key locations in the Middle East and beyond, including countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Sudan, Algeria, France, Kenya and Djibouti.
“PTCL is proud to be a part of the Africa-1 cable system consortium. This partnership aligns seamlessly with Pakistan’s Digital Vision 2030 and our commitment to empowering the communities by bridging the digital divide,” said Syed Muhammad Shoaib, Group Vice President of International Business at PTCL.
“By establishing strong, reliable connections to key international hubs, PTCL aims to provide faster, world-class Internet services enabling innovation across sectors and strengthening Pakistan’s position in the global economy,” he added.
The consortium includes major regional telecom operators such as Saudi Arabia’s Mobily, UAE’s e& and G42, Telecom Egypt, Zain Oman International (ZOI), Algérie Télécom and TeleYemen. The system employs state-of-the-art technologies to enhance data transmission speeds and reliability.
The cable’s landing in Karachi is expected to further strengthen Pakistan’s role as a regional digital hub. It will be terminated at PTCL’s Misrishah Exchange in DHA Phase-VI, Karachi.
Once operational in early 2026, the Africa-1 system is expected to significantly enhance PTCL’s Internet services and support the country’s economic growth by providing improved global connectivity.
The development comes amid increasing demand for reliable high-speed Internet services in Pakistan, driven by digital transformation efforts across sectors including finance, e-commerce and information technology.
PTCL lands Africa-1 submarine cable in Karachi, enhancing connectivity with Saudi Arabia, other countries
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PTCL lands Africa-1 submarine cable in Karachi, enhancing connectivity with Saudi Arabia, other countries
- Development comes amid increasing demand for reliable Internet services in Pakistan
- The Africa-1 cable offers a consortium-backed ultra-high-capacity connectivity system
Pakistan bank enables Shariah-compliant digital payment facility for passengers at Islamabad airport
Pakistan bank enables Shariah-compliant digital payment facility for passengers at Islamabad airport
- Pakistan is a cash-dominated market where a significant portion of transactions in the informal sector are made without any taxes, officials say
- The move comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to introduce a cashless model at airports under which only digital service providers can provide services
KARACHI: Aik, Pakistan’s first Islamic digital bank, has enabled fully digital payments at Islamabad International Airport to offer travelers and passengers secure, Shariah compliant digital transaction facility.
The development comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to introduce a cashless model at airports across the country, under which only digital service providers can provide services to customers.
Aik, a subsidiary of Bank Islami, said it has onboarded merchants across the Islamabad airport and integrated QR code deployments at key touchpoints to allow passengers and visitors to make secure, seamless, and Shariah-compliant digital transactions at all counters, retail outlets, and service points.
It said the implementation complies with the regulations and framework set by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and is a working model for a large-scale adoption of cashless systems in public infrastructure.
“This deployment reflects our commitment to building practical digital infrastructure that improves everyday transactions,” Aik Chief Officer Ashfaque Ahmed said in a statement.
“By enabling a fully cashless environment at a major national gateway, we are supporting efficiency, transparency, and financial inclusion at scale. This is not only a project; it is a foundation for Pakistan’s cashless future.”
Pakistan is a cash-dominated market where a significant portion of transactions, particularly in the informal sector, are conducted in cash. Officials say many of these transactions are aimed at avoiding taxes.
In recent years, the SBP has taken steps to ensure a transition toward a more cashless economy so that transactions are more traceable, reducing chances of tax evasion and corruption.
By digitizing Islamabad airport, aik said it continues to invest in secure and accessible financial solutions that “expand digital participation and support national economic modernization.”
