Pakistan to Join Hands with Alibaba to Boost Exports and Digital Trade
The government of Pakistan is taking a big step to boost exports and digital trade. Next week, Pakistan will partner with Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce giant, to boost exports. This was announced at the 18th International Conference on Mobile Commerce 2025 in Karachi.
Faiz Ahmad, Chief Executive of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), shared the news. He said this partnership will help Pakistani products reach global markets. Alibaba, along with Amazon, is one of the top global e-commerce players.
Ahmad explained the big goal. He said the government wants to build a single digital supply chain. This supply chain will use secure and fast payment systems like Raast, Pakistan’s instant payment platform.
Pakistan to Join Hands with Alibaba to Boost Exports and Digital Trade
He gave an example to show how it will work. Imagine a small business in Skardu gets a large order from Alibaba. The payment will arrive instantly through Raast into the seller’s mobile wallet. The same wallet can pay suppliers in Karachi. All this will happen without cash or banks. Stock will be tracked and managed digitally.
“This is the power of digital commerce,” Ahmad said. He called Raast practical and scalable. He added that this is not just an idea — it’s already happening with everyone’s support. TDAP and the Ministry of Commerce see this shift as a national need, not just a policy plan.
Experts Highlight Challenges and Opportunities
Faisal Mahmood from Karandaaz Pakistan shared his concerns. He talked about the central bank’s new sandbox for testing digital ideas. He asked if the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has enough funds, skills, and support to run it well.
Just two months ago, in May 2025, the SBP launched sandbox guidelines. It will soon invite banks, fintechs, and startups to test their ideas under flexible rules.
Ali Imran Khan, Deputy CIO at Meezan Bank, spoke about open banking. He said it is the future of finance. Open banking lets banks share customer data with other companies. But this only happens if the customer agrees. It helps create better, more personal financial services.
Muhammad Hamayun Sajjad, CEO of Mashreq Pakistan, said cash still rules today. But he added that digital payments are now a must. Digitalisation is key for growth.
Pakistan’s new partnership with Alibaba shows the country’s clear focus. The aim is to go global with local products using modern digital tools. With Raast, open banking, and new digital ideas, Pakistan is stepping into the future of trade and finance.
See Also: Alibaba Launches Online Logistics Services to Support Pakistani Exporters
