ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday launched its first green sukuk for the telecom sector and completed a major artificial intelligence-powered battery storage project, in a move aimed at cutting emissions, reducing diesel dependence and modernizing the country’s digital infrastructure.

The sukuk — a Shariah-compliant Islamic bond worth up to Rs3 billion ($10.8 million) — is designed to finance the rollout of low-carbon, AI-enabled energy solutions for thousands of telecom towers across the country. The bond was launched by Infralectric, a subsidiary of Brillanz Group, in partnership with InfraZamin Pakistan.

The launch coincided with the completion of Pakistan’s first 25 megawatt-hour (MWh) Energy Storage-as-a-Service project, which uses Thunder AI technology to optimize power use at telecom sites. 

The battery network is expected to reduce diesel consumption by more than 5 million liters a year, cut around 13,500 tons of CO₂ emissions annually — equivalent to planting over 220,000 trees — and improve network uptime across Pakistan’s telecom portfolio.

“Today is a historic moment for Pakistan’s digital and energy future,” Bilal Qureshi, CEO of Brillanz Group, said in a statement. 

“With Thunder AI-powered ESaaS and the launch of the first Green Sukuk for telecom, we’re proving that innovation and sustainability can drive growth together. At Brillanz, we remain committed to continuing to invest in solutions that deliver lasting impact.”

Government officials hailed the announcement as a milestone in Pakistan’s climate and digital transition efforts.

“Today is indeed a historic day for Pakistan,” said Fahd Haroon, Minister of State and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Digital Media, adding that the two initiatives showed how innovation and collaboration could modernize thousands of telecom towers, cut carbon emissions, and create scalable green investments.

Maheen Rahman, CEO of InfraZamin Pakistan, said the partnership underscored the potential of Islamic finance to accelerate the shift to sustainable infrastructure.

“Infralectric are a prime candidate for the Sukuk market,” Rahman said.

“We are keen to explore mechanisms to enable an Infralectric Green Sukuk, which would mark a pivotal step in unlocking sustainable finance for Pakistan’s telecom sector. Such initiatives modernize critical digital infrastructure and also contribute to Pakistan’s decarbonization and long-term economic resilience.”