ISLAMABAD (PEN) : The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), on its second anniversary, unveiled a pilot project enabling 10,000 Pakistani freelancers to receive payments via PayPal without needing personal PayPal accounts. This marks a milestone for the digital economy initiative.
Streamlining Global Payment
The trial allows international clients to send PayPal payments, which are then directly deposited into local bank accounts—saving freelancers the hassle of setting up PayPal themselves. This model leverages a third-party intermediary to bridge international transfers and integrate them with existing Pakistani banking infrastructure
Underlining the pilot’s expansion, Federal IT Minister Dr. Umar Saif said:
“The programme would be scaled up and everyone would have access to payments from PayPal and Stripe across the country.”
He also noted that freelancers must provide proof of accounts on platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, Elance, Toptal, or Crossover to participate
Infrastructure Boost via E‑Rozgaar and IT Parks
In tandem with the PayPal initiative, SIFC—with its implementation arm Innovista—has launched over 10,000 E‑Rozgaar centres nationwide. These centers aim to certify 50,000 freelancers annually and offer infrastructure, interest-free loans, and training support
Innovista’s deal with the Pakistan Freelancers Association (Pafla) targets establishing co-working spaces serving more than 50,000 freelancers each year, with a focus on youth and women in under-served regions
Digital Economy Gains Momentum
As part of the broader Digital Pakistan initiative, global firms like Google, Microsoft, and Cisco have increased investments in the country’s IT sector, contributing to IT exports exceeding \$3.2 billion Alongside this, a 50% dollar retention policy and special foreign-currency accounts have been introduced, empowering freelancers and IT firms to hold and manage their earnings in foreign currency (
With over 1.5 million active freelancers, Pakistan’s digital transformation is accelerating. The PayPal pilot reinforces financial inclusion across borders, while SIFC’s infrastructure and policy support invigorate the freelance ecosystem.
