What good is a digital revolution if the law never arrives?

Pakistan speaks with urgency about building a technology-driven economy. It sets ambitious export targets, hosts tech summits, and courts foreign investment. Yet behind this narrative lies a stark and uncomfortable truth: the legal and institutional infrastructure needed to sustain digital growth is fragmented, outdated, or in some cases, absent entirely.

That absence is not abstract. It has measurable consequences.

The technology sector has shown promise. IT exports have crossed three billion dollars in just ten months. The government hopes to triple that figure within five years. Startups are emerging with confidence. Venture capital interest, though cautious, is returning. Global companies are evaluating opportunities. On paper, it all looks like momentum.

But that momentum is fragile.

Multinationals are not just hesitating. They are leaving. Microsoft has quietly relocated its regional operations to jurisdictions with clearer regulatory regimes. Uber has exited. Careem is discontinuing its ride hailing services. These decisions are not anecdotal. They reflect systemic discomfort with Pakistan's regulatory climate: unclear licensing frameworks, inconsistent policy enforcement, foreign exchange restrictions, and delays that outlast business cycles. Regulatory opacity has become an operational risk.

When the system does work, it feels like a favour rather than a norm. The entry of Starlink into Pakistan is being cited as a breakthrough. But even that required direct intervention by the Prime Minister's Office. The project was approved through cooperation between PTA, SECP and SUPARCO. These permissions were........

© The Express Tribune