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Pakistan among top countries for crypto adoption with 20 million users — adviser 

This illustration photograph taken on July 19, 2021, in Istanbul, shows a physical banknote and coin imitations of the Bitcoin cryptocurrency. (AFP/File)
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Updated 28 March 2025
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Pakistan among top countries for crypto adoption with 20 million users — adviser 

  • Pakistan Crypto Council set up this year to set regulatory guidelines for adoption, lure foreign investment 
  • Cryptocurrencies including bitcoin are not officially regulated in Pakistan but are not illegal or banned
Updated 28 March 2025
Hasaan Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is among the top countries in the world for crypto adoption, with around 20 million users, Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) Chief Executive Officer Bilal Bin Saqib said on Friday.

The PCC, established by the government earlier this month, aims to create a legal framework for cryptocurrency trading in a bid to lure international investment. Cryptocurrencies including bitcoin are not officially regulated in Pakistan but are also not illegal or banned. As of Jan. 16, 2021, the State Bank of Pakistan has not authorized any individuals or organizations to carry out the sale, purchase, exchange, and investment of virtual currencies, coins, and tokens.

“Around 20 million crypto users are in Pakistan,” Saqib said during a talk show on Geo News. “We are coming on number three and four globally and there are many blockchain technology opportunities in Pakistan.”

Explaining the role of the PCC, Saqib said it would create a regulatory framework for crypto-related activities in Pakistan, including exchanges and licensing, and ensure a secure environment to protect Pakistanis from potential losses.

“Globally 0.24 percent cryptocurrency transactions are used for wrong things,” he said. “We want to use this technology for other things like real estate, agriculture and to unlock their liquidity.”

Saqib refrained from providing a timeline for when crypto would be legalized in Pakistan.

Speaking to Bloomberg earlier this month, Bilal, recognized by Forbes as a Web3 investor and blockchain strategist, highlighted that Pakistan offered one of the lowest operating costs for crypto businesses, making it a more cost-effective alternative to hubs like Dubai and Singapore. 

He said regulatory sandboxes were being developed to create fast-track systems for crypto startups, enabling them to operate within a controlled and compliant environment.

Pakistan is also engaging with the UAE to learn from its regulatory model and is working closely with Nigeria and Turkiye on policy development, he told Bloomberg. 

Regarding taxation, Bilal has said the government intended to implement a “balanced pro-growth tax structure” to encourage foreign investment in the sector.

He emphasized that cryptocurrency could significantly boost Pakistan’s fintech sector, positioning the country as a regional leader in digital finance. 

Topics: cryptocurrency

Pakistan warns against landslides, avalanches next week amid rain and snowfall prediction

Updated 9 sec ago
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Pakistan warns against landslides, avalanches next week amid rain and snowfall prediction

  • Westerly wave likely to approach western areas from Dec. 29, persist till Jan. 2, says Met Office
  • Pakistan advises tourists to exercise caution while traveling in northern areas during the period
Updated 9 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Meteorological Department on Sunday warned against the possibility of landslides and avalanches in the country’s northern areas next week, as it forecast heavy rains and snowfall in hilly regions. 

The Met Office predicted that a westerly wave is likely to approach Pakistan’s western areas from Dec. 29 and strengthen from Dec. 30 onwards. This wave is expected to grip most upper and central parts of the country on Dec. 31 and persist in the upper areas till Jan. 2, the PMD said. 
 
“Possibility of landslides/avalanches in hilly areas of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir during the period,” the PMD warned. 

“Tourists are advised to remain extra cautious and avoid unnecessary traveling during the period.”

The advisory warned that rainfall with wind and thunderstorm and snowfall is likely in Punjab’s Murree and the Galliyat region from Dec. 30 to Jan. 2 with occasional gaps. It also warned of rain with wind, thunderstorms and moderate snowfall in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir regions during the same period.

The PMD warned of rain with wind and thunderstorms, with moderate to heavy snowfall in upper areas from Dec. 30 to Jan. 1 in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. 

For Sindh and Balochistan provinces, the PMD warned that rain with wind and thunderstorms with snowfall were expected over hilly areas from Dec. 29-31. 

The PMD warned snowfall may cause road closures or slippery conditions in the northern areas of Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Murree, Galliyat and Neelum Valley from Dec. 30 to Jan. 2. 

“Fog condition is likely to subside in central/southern parts of Punjab and upper Sindh during the wet spell,” it said. 

“Daytime temperatures are likely to drop further in the coming week, particularly after the spell.”

Authorities in the past have urged people to avoid northern areas or exercise caution in travel when weather conditions are expected to deteriorate during the winter season. 

At least 21 people, including nine children, died in freezing temperatures after being stuck in their vehicles in the Pakistani hill station of Murree in January 2022 when roads became impassable due to heavy snow. 

Topics: Pakistan winters Avalanche risk in Pakistan Climate Change in Pakistan

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