Pakistan hosts high-stakes meeting to discuss blockchain and AI

Pakistan hosted a high-stakes meeting to discuss blockchain technology and artificial intelligence as the country continues to make moves to regulate its crypto industry. The high-stakes meeting is part of the country’s move to establish itself as a regional hub for blockchain and AI.

In addition, it is also part of a bigger strategy to harness the youthful demographic and surplus energy in the country as a tool for digital finance and, by extension, economic transformation.

In attendance at the high-level meeting at the General Headquarters were Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and Bilal Bin Saqib, Chief Executive of the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC). The pair discussed the potential of emerging technologies, with a focus on leveraging blockchain, cryptocurrency, and AI to empower its youth and build economic reliance.

Pakistan holds meeting to discuss blockchain and AI

In the meeting, Bin Saqib, the chief executive of the PCC, mentioned that digital finance and decentralization offer the country countless opportunities and not threats. “The [PCC] exists because our youth demand a seat at the global tech table,” Saqib said at the meeting.

The meeting is coming off the back of efforts to accelerate the regulatory framework of these emerging technologies in the country.

The Ministry of Finance, on Wednesday, announced the formation of the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA), a body that has been dedicated and tasked with overseeing blockchain infrastructure and the regulation of digital assets in the country. The move marks a major step towards formalizing a market that has been estimated to witness more than $300 billion in annual crypto trading volume.

According to Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, the PDAA would be in charge of creating a secure, innovative, and inclusive ecosystem that will house digital assets. He also added that it will ensure that Pakistan is ranked high alongside other regional leaders in digital finance and blockchain regulation.

He also added that the initiative will birth the facilitation of tokenization of public assets and government debt, regulate Bitcoin mining using surplus electricity, and provide legal clarity for global investors.

A renewed shift towards a tech-led growth model

The announcement signals a boost in the country’s shift towards a tech-led growth model. With about 70% of its 240 million population under the age of 30, Pakistan has one of the most favored demographics for digital adoption. It ranks among the top five countries globally in terms of crypto usage.

In addition, the country ranks as the world’s third-largest freelancer market, with more than 50,000 IT graduates entering the workforce every year.

During the meeting, Saqib discussed the recent PCC initiatives with the military leadership, including a global outreach with Binance founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao. It also discussed its exploits with World Liberty Financial, a decentralized platform that has links with United States President Donald Trump.

He also mentioned the youth-first policy that the group has been looking into, emphasizing the need to channel the country’s tech-savvy workforce into scalable blockchain solutions and AI infrastructure.

Some of the national strategies being looked into include allocating surplus electricity to power Bitcoin mining rigs and data centers. The meeting came before Saqib’s participation at the Bitcoin 2025 Conference in Las Vegas, where he is set to speak alongside other influential figures such as United States Vice President JD Vance and Donald Trump Jr.

The event is expected to shape the future narratives on global crypto governance.

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