“The honorees are being recognised for their tireless efforts in software creation, standards evolution, and strategic implementation to keep digital transactions safe and seamless,” said Okta.

“Their work tackles some of the most pressing challenges in the digital age, such as authenticating agentic AI entities capable of complex tasks without human oversight and defending against realistic AI-generated forgeries that threaten biometric security,” it added.

As per Okta’s report titled 2026 The Identity 25, Tariq Malik has spent 25 years advising governments and multilateral institutions building digital ID and civil registration systems that drive social protection and economic growth.

“Expectations are often high, and institutions are often under strain, but the promise is always the same,” he says: “Efficiency, inclusion, and better service delivery.”

During his work at NADRA, Tariq spearheaded one of the world’s largest biometric registration efforts.

As per the report, NADRA enrolled over 145 million of its fellow citizens, then used digital ID to create social programs to empower women, protect internally displaced persons, combat corruption, and reduce poverty.

“Passkeys in particular are eliminating passwords at scale,” he says, “while standards- based verifiable credentials enable selective disclosure of cryptographic claims rather than wholesale data sharing.”

Back in 2023, Tariq stepped down from his post as NADRA chairman. This was Tariq’s second stint as NADRA chairman, with the first having ended in 2013.

In a notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday, the company shared that under the agreement, Telna shall provide Zuma access to its multi-IMSI global connectivity infrastructure, enabling the provision of international mobile telecommunications services, including eSIM connectivity, mobile data services, voice and SMS services, and international roaming capabilities across multiple networks

Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, Zuma shall have the right to establish and commercially launch its own global telecom brand. It shall also have the right to utilise Telna’s connectivity infrastructure to deliver telecom services to end users worldwide.

Moreover, the agreement would allow Zuma to operate as a reseller and service provider across multiple jurisdictions, integrate third-party partners and service providers and retain full commercial flexibility, including the ability to adopt a multi-supplier operating model.

“The company intends to leverage this agreement to develop, own, and operate its proprietary global telecom platform and brand, supported by Telna’s infrastructure and network integrations,” said Zuma.

It added that the agreement is expected to facilitate Zuma’s entry into the rapidly growing global digital connectivity and eSIM market, enabling the company to build scalable and recurring revenue streams.

The company was of the view that the agreement would strengthen Zuma’s position in international telecom and digital infrastructure sectors, and support future expansion into global markets, including Europe, the United Kingdom, and other regions

According to the disclosure, the agreement has an initial term of three years, subject to renewal, with revenue to be generated through the resale of telecom services and usage-based billing mechanisms. The commercial structure is designed to scale with subscriber growth and traffic volumes, enabling large-scale deployment of services globally.

Zuma further shared that it is evaluating the feasibility of applying for a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) license from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), which is subject to regulatory approvals and applicable legal requirements.

GameStop - once a stock market minnow that shot to fame during a meme-stock frenzy five years ago - is offering to pay $125 a share in a 50-50 mix of cash and stock, Cohen said in a letter to eBay’s board. Based on eBay’s Friday close, the bid represents a premium of about 20%.

EBay has a market capitalization nearly four times larger than GameStop, making the buyout bid an ambitious attempt.

The US videogame retailer has already built up a 5% stake in eBay through shares and derivatives, Cohen said in the letter, which was seen by Reuters.

Its unsolicited offer to buy the US online marketplace was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, citing an interview with CEO Cohen, also GameStop’s largest investor.

Cohen, who is pushing to boost the struggling videogame retailer’s market value more than tenfold, told the Journal that putting eBay and GameStop under one roof would create huge opportunities to improve earnings and cut costs.

“It could be a legit competitor to Amazon,” Cohen said about eBay to the Journal.

Cohen said in the letter that GameStop would cut $2 billion of eBay’s annualized costs within 12 months of close, resulting in an increase in the company’s earnings per share.

GameStop’s 1,600 US locations would give eBay a national network for authentication, intake, fulfillment, and live commerce, he added.

He told the Wall Street Journal he was prepared to pursue a proxy fight if eBay’s board was not receptive to the proposal.

EBay did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment on GameStop’s offer. “EBay should be worth - and will be worth - a lot more money,” Cohen said in the interview. “I’m thinking about turning eBay into something worth hundreds of billions of dollars.”

Cohen, dubbed the “meme king” by retail traders for his role in the 2021 meme-stock frenzy and his outsized influence among individual investors on social media, has built a reputation for bold, unconventional bets that can move markets.

A potential deal between GameStop and eBay would upend the usual M&A playbook, as it is rare for a company to target one nearly four times its size. Such deals typically rely on substantial debt, stock issuance, or both - banking on future earnings of the combined company to justify the cost.

Cohen said he has already lined up financial commitments, including a commitment letter for about $20 billion in debt from TD Bank, and may seek backing from external investors including Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds for the deal, according to the WSJ report. Cohen said that following the close, he would serve as the CEO of the combined company. 

Push to turn around gamestop

Cohen joined GameStop’s board in January 2021 as the company struggled with a shift to online shopping and digital downloads, and later became CEO, pushing aggressive cost cuts that helped return the company to profitability.

Once a staple for in-store gamers, the brick-and-mortar retailer was hit hard during the pandemic when players moved online.

GameStop soared to global prominence in 2021 when an army of retail investors bought the stock after it was squeezed by hedge fund short sellers. Its shares soared more than 1,700% at the time.

Despite Cohen’s turnaround pledges, the Grapevine, Texas-based company continues to grapple with structural shifts in the gaming industry.

GameStop reported a 14% drop in fourth-quarter revenue last month.

By contrast, eBay, which has grown from its humble beginnings in 1995 as a hobby for entrepreneur Pierre Omidyar, last week forecast second-quarter revenue above Wall Street estimates, banking on demand for collectibles and motor accessories as well as live-streamed auctions. GameStop had a market value of nearly $12 billion at the close of business on Friday, while eBay had a market value of about $46 billion.

Their shares have gained 32.1% and 19.5%, respectively, this year.

Microwave backhaul continues to grow and expand, in the past three years showing a solid growth of 5% in the installed base of transceivers.

As 5G rollouts accelerate across the region, one question keeps coming up: what is the most effective way to build site specific backhaul transmission to provide adequate connectivity for the underlying consumer or enterprise demand? One answer may surprise you and has been in our portfolio for 50 years.

With the launch of 5G networks driving the demand for backhaul capacity of a few gigabits per cell site, we see two options to provide this - Fiber and Microwave.

Also read: Ericsson pitches 5G, AI as drivers of Pakistan’s growth

My focus is today on Microwave technology, a technology that has continued to evolve throughout the years and today can be thought of as “Wireless Fiber” capable of supporting 20 Gbps and beyond.

“Microwave is no longer the backup plan, it is a strategic choice that enables operators to move fast, stay flexible, and protect their investments.”

It is important to note that fiber comes with some challenges. If the fiber is not already available at a cell site, then the cost of deployment can be significantly higher than that of a Microwave link.

Laying new fiber in the ground will take longer to plan and deploy compared to installation of a Microwave radio adjacent to the 5G radios. Terrain can bring complexity; it is a different order of magnitude to lay Fiber in remote mountainous regions compared to a city that will have existing tunnels or piping underground where Fiber can be installed. And often there is complexity over permitting and right of way in laying Fiber in different locations. These issues bring a risk of stranded assets in the Radio Access Network when building new sites to densify or expand the grid for the higher frequency carriers used by 5G.

A practical approach is to consider commencing with relatively quick Microwave deployment to bring the 5G cell live, even when future Fiber deployment is planned as the long-term backhaul solution for a cell site. This approach accelerates the ability to capture revenue while waiting for the final Fiber connectivity to be in place. In cases where the site is considered sensitive, then over-the-hop encryption can be supported to address security concerns of Consumers or Enterprises.

Once Fiber is available, the Microwave equipment can either be kept in place as a redundant backup option for high value 5G sites, or the site can be easily redeployed elsewhere.

How microwave scales to meet 5G demand

We tend to think of a traditional Microwave link as being able to support up to 600 Mbps of backhaul capacity – more than enough for 2G and 3G networks but limited with the introduction of 4G. However, there are a number of different ways to increase the capacity over traditional Microwave links. One of the simplest approaches has been to use both vertical and horizontal polarizations of the allocated spectrum license to double the capacity.

Scaling beyond this can be more challenging due to the cost of additional spectrum as today there can also be competing demands for what has traditionally been the lower Microwave frequencies coming from as an example, 5G and 6G mmWave, WiFi and satellite ground stations.

Also read: GB clears way for 5G trials after policy approval

This challenge has been solved by moving to a higher frequency which was not used previously for Microwave. For links up to a few kilometers an E-Band radio is fully capable of supporting 10 Gbps of backhaul capacity, more than enough for the combined 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G services on the highest capacity cell sites.

50 years of MINI-LINK - we are just getting started

2026 marks the 50th year of the Ericsson MINI-LINK portfolio, during which Ericsson has supported the evolution of Microwave networks to today’s high-capacity systems supporting 5G rollouts.

E-Band is a significant enabler for this, and as operators look to replace traditional Microwave links with an E-Band solution Ericsson is now shipping our MINI-LINK 6356, which supports market-leading output power of 26 dBm.

For the highest capacity sites, we can combine two E-Band radios together in the same way as traditional Microwave, meaning that an incredible 20 Gbps of capacity is possible and a reality today.

The race to 5G is on and the networks that win will be built on infrastructure that is fast to deploy, cost-effective, and built to scale. The Ericsson Microwave portfolio delivers on all three.

The article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Business Recorder or its owners.

The two-day forum, held in Islamabad, brought together senior government officials, global technology leaders, investors, and industry stakeholders to explore avenues for investment, innovation, and deeper economic cooperation between Pakistan and the European Union.

Participating in high-level roundtable discussions and keynote sessions, Ericsson highlighted how next-generation networks and AI-driven infrastructure can unlock productivity gains across key sectors, including logistics, energy, mobility, and financial services—areas critical to Pakistan’s long-term economic growth.

The discussions reinforced that connectivity is no longer a supporting utility but a core economic enabler, directly impacting competitiveness, private sector expansion, and digital inclusion.

Ericsson Pakistan’s Country President, Aamir Ahsan, speaking alongside the Federal Minister for IT and Telecom, emphasized the importance of strong public–private partnerships in driving digital transformation at scale. He noted that enabling policies, spectrum readiness, and investment-friendly frameworks will be essential to fully realize the potential of 5G and AI in Pakistan.

At its exhibition booth, Ericsson showcased its latest innovations and technology capabilities, demonstrating how differentiated, high-performance networks are enabling new business models, enhancing operational efficiency, and supporting emerging use cases across industries.

The company’s engagement at the forum comes at a time when Pakistan is increasingly prioritizing digital infrastructure as a key pillar of economic development. Industry experts note that accelerated adoption of advanced connectivity solutions could significantly enhance productivity, improve service delivery, and attract foreign investment into the country’s growing digital ecosystem.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

Chairing a meeting with Minister of State and Chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, Bilal Bin Saqib, the prime minister emphasized the need for swift progress in regulating the emerging sector.

He stressed that Pakistan must equip its workforce with modern skills, particularly in artificial intelligence and digital finance, to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving global economy.

READ MORE: Investment sought in AI, robotics & blockchain

The prime minister called for targeted initiatives to train youth in these high-demand areas.

During the briefing, Bilal Bin Saqib informed the premier about the authority’s transition into a fully operational regulator and the launch of a regulatory sandbox designed to test innovative financial technologies in a controlled environment.

Officials highlighted that innovation is being introduced in areas such as AI-powered payments and regulated virtual asset services, while preparations are underway to align national institutions, workforce capabilities, and regulatory structures with the next wave of economic transformation.

The development reflects Pakistan’s broader push to integrate digital finance and emerging technologies into its economic framework while ensuring oversight and compliance with international standards.

The statement notably excludes Anthropic, which has been in dispute with the Pentagon over guardrails for the use of its artificial intelligence tools by the military.

The Pentagon labeled the AI startup, which is widely used across the Department of Defense, a supply-chain risk ​earlier this year, barring its use by the Pentagon and its ⁠contractors.

Pakistani co-founded AI startup Cursor draws $60bn buyout option from SpaceX

SpaceX, OpenAI, Google, NVIDIA, Reflection, Microsoft and Amazon Web Services, several of which already work with the Pentagon, will be integrated into its Impact Levels 6 and 7 network environments giving more of the military access to their products, the Pentagon said in a statement.

By expanding the AI services offered to troops, who use it for planning, logistics, targeting and a bevy of other reasons to streamline huge operations and perform more quickly, the Pentagon said in its statement it will avoid “vendor lock”, a likely nod to its overdependence on Anthropic.

Pentagon staffers, former officials and IT contractors who work closely with the U.S. military have told Reuters they were reluctant to give up Anthropic’s AI tools, which they view as superior to alternatives, despite orders to remove them over the next six months.

AI has become increasingly important for the U.S. military. The Pentagon’s main AI platform GenAI.mil has been used by over 1.3 million Defense Department personnel, the agency noted in its release, after five months of operation.

OpenAI hardware leader resigns after deal with Pentagon

Google, which is already used within the Pentagon, has signed a deal enabling the Department of Defense to use its artificial intelligence models for classified work, a source told Reuters earlier this week.

Anthropic still a ‘risk’

Defense Department Chief Technology Officer Emil Michael on Friday told CNBC that Anthropic remained a supply-chain risk, but that Mythos, the company’s artificial intelligence model with advanced cyber capabilities that created a stir among U.S. officials and corporate America over its ability to supercharge hackers, was a “separate national security moment.”

While numerous companies and public and private entities have gained access to a Mythos preview product to help secure their IT infrastructure against future cyberattacks, it is not clear if the Pentagon is part of that program.

Pentagon threatens to cut off Anthropic in AI safeguards dispute, Axios reports

U.S. President Donald Trump said last week that Anthropic was “shaping up” in the eyes of his administration, opening the door for the AI company to reverse its blacklisting at the Pentagon.

Still, the falling out reinforced the need to diversify the supply of AI tools for the military, opening new opportunities for small defense industry artificial intelligence startups.

The two-day forum, held in Islamabad, brought together senior government officials, global technology leaders, investors, and industry stakeholders to explore avenues for investment, innovation, and deeper economic cooperation between Pakistan and the European Union, read a statement.

At the forum, Ericsson highlighted how next-generation networks and AI-driven infrastructure can unlock productivity gains across key sectors, including logistics, energy, mobility, and financial services—areas critical to Pakistan’s long-term economic growth.

The discussions reinforced the idea that connectivity is no longer a supporting utility but a core economic enabler, directly impacting competitiveness, private-sector expansion, and digital inclusion.

Ericsson Pakistan’s Country President, Aamir Ahsan, speaking alongside the Federal Minister for IT and Telecom, Shaza Fatima, emphasised the importance of strong public–private partnerships in driving digital transformation at scale. He noted that enabling policies, spectrum readiness, and investment-friendly frameworks will be essential to fully realise the potential of 5G and AI in Pakistan.

The company’s engagement at the forum comes at a time when Pakistan is increasingly prioritising digital infrastructure as a key pillar of economic development. Industry experts note that accelerated adoption of advanced connectivity solutions could significantly enhance productivity, improve service delivery, and attract foreign investment into the country’s growing digital ecosystem.

An April 24 ​non-public Indian court submission by Apple, reviewed by Reuters on Thursday, is ⁠the latest sign of a growing confrontation between the company and Indian investigators ​over a case in which Apple says it could face a penalty of up to $38 ​billion.

The Competition Commission of India has since 2024 sought Apple’s financial information - typically needed to calculate penalties - after an investigation found it abused its dominant position. Apple has resisted, arguing it has challenged India’s entire antitrust ​penalty calculation law in a New Delhi court, and the watchdog must wait.

After the ​CCI this month gave Apple an ultimatum to submit its financials and scheduled a final hearing on May ‌21, ⁠the company has urged the Delhi High Court to urgently intervene to put the matter on hold.

The “commission’s decision to schedule a final hearing represents an escalation in its efforts to usurp the Hon’ble Court’s authority,” Apple said in the filing, in which it ​asked the court to ​hear the matter on ⁠May 15.

Apple and the CCI did not respond to Reuters queries.

The filing came in response to CCI’s April order, in which ​the watchdog said Apple had “been afforded adequate opportunities to file” its ​objections to ⁠the investigation report and has also “not submitted the requisite financial information.”

China’s Q2 smartphone shipments down 2.4%, says Counterpoint

The Indian case is among many Apple faces around the globe for alleged antitrust breaches. India is a key market for ⁠Apple ​where its iPhones have a 9% market share, compared ​to 4% two years ago, according to Counterpoint Research.

Apple has maintained it is a small player compared to ​Google’s Android, which is the dominant player in India.

He also announced the establishment of a formal consultative group on the virtual assets regulatory framework. Bilal Bin Saqib said this in a briefing, which brought together founders, chief executives, technologists, and financial innovators from Pakistan’s digital assets Sector.

The PVARA chairman spoke about Pakistan’s digital assets market within a larger economic vision. “Pakistan receives USD38.3 billion in remittances every year and has over 100 million adults outside the formal financial system. Virtual assets are not a peripheral technology story. They are infrastructure. Pakistan has made its choice, and PVARA is here to set the foundation for that infrastructure by providing the legal certainty, the licensing architecture, and the guardrails that make this market trustworthy for investors and safe for the public.”

PVARA, he said, intends to be a working partner to the industry, not a distant regulator.

The centrepiece announcement of the session was the establishment of a formal industry consultative group under PVARA. The group will bring together leading practitioners to work alongside the Authority on the development of Pakistan’s virtual asset regulatory framework, ensuring that policy is built with market knowledge, not in isolation from it. The Chairman described this as a structural commitment to sustained, two-way engagement between the regulator and the industry it serves.

Participants acknowledged the pace of PVARA’s institutional development, noting that a fully operational, independent regulatory authority had been established, legislatively grounded, and opened for business within nine months. Pakistan’s digital assets market is moving into a new era, with a credible regulator, a clear legal framework, and an industry that is ready to build. The work PVARA has done in nine months has given that transition a foundation it can stand on.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

Oracle dropped four percent to $166 on Wall Street. The tech giant has signed one of the biggest cloud deals with OpenAI, amounting to $300 billion in computing power over five years.

CoreWeave’s shares slid 3.7 percent to $107.70. The Nvidia-backed AI startup signed an $11.9 billion contract with OpenAI last month to provide AI infrastructure.

Chipmakers including Nvidia, Broadcom and Advanced Micro Devices also declined.

In Asia, Japan’s SoftBank Group – which has poured tens of billions of dollars into OpenAI and holds roughly a 13 percent stake – closed down almost 10 percent in Tokyo trading.

READ MORE: OpenAI hardware leader resigns after deal with Pentagon

The sell-off was triggered by the Journal’s report that OpenAI had missed its own goal of reaching one billion weekly active users for ChatGPT by the end of 2025 and fell short of multiple monthly revenue targets this year.

According to the report, OpenAI chief financial officer Sarah Friar has privately warned company leaders that the firm might be unable to meet future computing contract obligations if revenue growth does not accelerate.

The reported setback came as web traffic for Google’s Gemini climbed sharply in recent months and archrival Anthropic also sees expansion.

The WSJ story also comes as OpenAI lays the groundwork for an initial public offering that could value it at up to $1 trillion.

OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The sell-off comes days before a closely watched round of earnings reports from the tech giants most exposed to AI infrastructure spending.

Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft and Meta are all due to report on Wednesday, with investors set to scrutinise their capital expenditure plans after they committed to roughly $645 billion in AI infrastructure investment in 2026.

The Shenzhen-based EV and battery giant achieved a profit of 4.08 billion yuan ($598 million) during the first three months of the year, the statement showed, down 55 percent year-on-year.

Revenue during the first quarter was 150.2 billion yuan, the statement showed, down 11.8 percent year-on-year.

BYD sold more EVs than Tesla last year, overtaking its US rival for the first time in the category.

READ MORE: Chinese carmaker BYD’s shares slump on weakening sales

However, increasingly challenging conditions in the Chinese market have weighed on profitability.

In March, BYD said that its annual net profit in 2025 fell to 32.6 billion yuan – down 19 percent from 40.3 billion the year before.

Slowing domestic demand has been diminished further by the recent phasing out of certain consumer subsidies for new-energy vehicles by authorities.

As pressure builds at home, BYD and its industry peers are increasingly setting their sights on foreign markets as promising sources of future growth.

While BYD and other Chinese EV producers come up against hefty tariffs in the United States, the company’s success is picking up in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and in Europe.

Analysts say that spiking oil prices as a result of war in the Middle East are boosting global demand for EVs as consumers seek more stable energy costs.

The Chinese automotive sector has been in the spotlight in recent days as Beijing hosts Auto China, the world’s largest car show.

More than 1,400 vehicles from hundreds of Chinese and foreign companies have been on display since Friday and until May 3.

While traditional leading brands like Germany’s BMW and Mercedes held sweeping areas of the vast halls, most of the event’s mega stages were dominated by Chinese brands including BYD and battery giant CATL.

The company is looking to raise at least $1 billion, two of the sources said. A road show in the second half of this year will help determine the listing venue, deal size, valuation, and whether to proceed, one of the sources said.

Citigroup, JPMorgan, and Morgan Stanley have been tapped to work on the deal, and more could be added later, three of the sources said.

Significant Indian presence

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Massachusetts, Virtusa employs 30,000 people in 32 countries, and its presence in India includes IT delivery centres in Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Gurugram, according to its website.

All the sources declined to be named as the matter was still private. Virtusa and Morgan Stanley did not respond to requests for comment, while EQT, Citi and JPMorgan declined to comment.

Indian IT firms near-term outlook muted as clients cut spending, AI risks mount

At around $1 billion, Virtusa’s potential listing would be India’s biggest so far in what shapes up to be a busy year, with $2.75 billion already raised from 64 listings, LSEG data shows.

A Virtusa listing would allow EQT an exit from one of its main Asia technology bets at a time when private equity firms globally are under pressure from investors to return capital.

EQT, which had around 270 billion euros ($316 billion) in assets under management at the end of last year, gained control of Virtusa in 2022 when it acquired Baring Private Equity Asia, which took the technology firm private from Nasdaq in 2021.

The Swedish investment firm last week raised $15.6 billion for its latest private equity Asia fund, the largest pool of capital ever assembled for the region.

According to a press statement released on Tuesday, the ECAP delegation was led by Malik Bostan, Chairman of ECAP, and Zafar Paracha, President of ECAP, along with other senior members of the association.

During the meeting, Paracha presented ECAP’s position and provided a comprehensive briefing, outlining the role of exchange companies, key industry concerns, and the potential for alignment with the emerging cryptocurrency framework.

Bilal bin Saqib emerges as key link in Pakistan’s crypto-driven outreach to Trump world: report

The meeting focused on fostering a better understanding of emerging trends in cryptocurrency and exploring how traditional exchange companies can align with evolving financial technologies.

Both sides expressed the importance of continued engagement and emphasised that a collaborative dialogue would be valuable in identifying opportunities, addressing challenges, and strengthening coordination between their respective organisations.

The discussion also highlighted the need for regulatory clarity, innovation, and cooperation to ensure sustainable growth in Pakistan’s financial sector.

“ECAP remains committed to working closely with stakeholders to support the development of a transparent, secure, and progressive financial environment in the country,” read the statement.

The theme for International Girls in ICT Day 2026, “AI for Development: Girls Shaping the Digital Future,” reinforces this urgency. It highlights not only access, but the role of girls and young women as active contributors in designing, building, and deploying artificial intelligence systems. The shift is clear: from participation to co-creation—where women help define, not just use, digital systems.

Recent data underscores the scale of the opportunity. Pakistan’s digital economy is projected to contribute up to 7% of GDP by 2030, driven by IT exports, freelancing, fintech, and platform-based services. Services exports have already grown by over 18% in FY26, largely on the back of a strong IT sector. Digital now sits at the core of economic value creation—shaping how services are delivered, scaled, and exported. The question is no longer whether this growth will continue, but who will participate in it.

If half the population remains excluded from this transformation, Pakistan’s growth story will remain structurally constrained. Expanding access to ICT education and career pathways is therefore not just about equity; it is about broadening economic participation at scale. Inclusion, in this context, becomes a multiplier of productivity, innovation, and long-term competitiveness.

Digital systems now underpin core economic sectors—from financial services and e-commerce to healthcare and education. As AI becomes embedded across these systems, the need for diverse perspectives becomes more urgent. Under the 2026 theme, girls are not passive users—they are future AI builders, researchers, product designers, and entrepreneurs. Their participation will shape how inclusive, ethical, and effective these systems are in practice.

Globally, evidence shows that women are not only participating in AI but shaping its direction and impact. From leading innovations in healthcare and fintech to advancing applications in public health, education, and climate resilience, women are driving measurable progress. They are also central to improving AI fairness—identifying bias and strengthening system design. The pattern is clear: inclusion leads to better systems and stronger outcomes.

There is also a compelling business case. Diverse teams make better decisions, identify new markets, and build more resilient products. In the age of AI, this diversity is critical, as bias in data and design can scale rapidly. For Pakistan, where digital exports and remote work are expanding access to global value chains, greater participation of women directly strengthens export capacity, entrepreneurship, and the national talent base.

In Pakistan, encouraging girls to pursue ICT—through targeted education, digital literacy, and AI-focused skills development—can significantly expand the pipeline of skilled contributors. This is how digital adoption translates into economic participation for women—and, in turn, national growth.

The role of industry is critical. Organizations must create environments where women can access, build, and lead digital and AI solutions. This includes investing in skills, enabling career pathways, and embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion into system design and deployment. When inclusion is built into digital ecosystems, innovation becomes scalable and impact more sustainable.

This is not about parity alone—it is about participating in one of the most important economic shifts of our time. A digitally competitive Pakistan will be defined by how widely it enables its people—especially women—to build within this growth story.

On this International Girls in ICT Day, the message is clear: Pakistan’s digital future will not be shaped by access alone, but by who gets to build it.

Sources said the decision follows months of consultations after the nationwide 5G spectrum auction process, initiated in February, did not initially include GB and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Caretaker Minister for Information Technology in GB, Ghulam Abbas, raised the issue with federal authorities and remained engaged on the matter.

He held meetings with Hafeez ur Rehman, chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, and Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, stressing the need to extend 5G services to the region.

Subsequently, the GB Council Secretariat prepared a summary seeking approval of policy directives for the trials.

Also read: Pakistan’s 5G moment: chance or another missed transformation?

The proposal was endorsed by the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication before being forwarded to the prime minister, who also serves as chairman of the Gilgit-Baltistan Council. The summary was later circulated among council members.

According to sources, the council has approved the proposal, which has also been ratified by the GB governor, removing key procedural hurdles for the start of 5G trials.

They said the telecom regulator had already prepared guidelines for testing, and, following formal approval, telecom operators would now be allowed to initiate trials in the region.

The PTA chairman has indicated that a formal 5G spectrum auction in GB would follow the successful completion of trials.

Officials and sector experts said the move is expected to improve digital connectivity, support tourism and facilitate business activity in the mountainous region.

The remarks were made by Zarrar Hasham Khan, Federal Secretary of IT & Telecommunication, during the National Incubation Centre Karachi, an Ignite initiative under the Ministry of IT & Telecom, graduation ceremony of 28 startups from its 13th cohort.  

“The graduation ceremony at NIC Karachi reflects the hard work and determination of our entrepreneurs,” said Zarrar Hasham.

“Through the ministry’s global programs and continued support, we are committed to connecting our startups with international opportunities and markets. At the same time, founders must embrace emerging technologies, particularly AI, not just to stay relevant but to lead innovation.

Learning AI and integrating it into business models will significantly enhance productivity, efficiency, and global competitiveness,” he added.

Since its inception, NIC Karachi has incubated over 440 startups, created more than one million jobs, generated over Rs12 billion in revenues and raised over Rs13 billion in investments. The centre provides incubation, mentorship, legal and financial advisory, investor access, and advanced labs in fintech, industrial automation, and media.

Pakistani co-founded AI startup Cursor draws $60bn buyout option from SpaceX

Addressing the graduation ceremony, Syed Azfar Hussain, Project Director at NIC Karachi, emphasised the significance of the graduation, stating, “NIC Karachi takes great pride in witnessing these startups achieve this important milestone. The consistent mentorship and support extended throughout their journey have been instrumental in shaping their growth and readiness for the market.

As these startups graduate, we remain committed to our role as a leading force in Pakistan’s incubation landscape, continuing to empower and elevate the next generation of innovative entrepreneurs across the country.”

He further stated, “NIC Karachi, in partnership with Ignite and MoITT, has successfully fostered an environment that encourages entrepreneurship and innovation. NIC Karachi is committed to supporting the startup ecosystem in Pakistan, and we strive to empower Pakistani startups, catalysing innovation, and contributing to the overall economic prosperity of the country.”

Muhammad Bilal Abbasi, General Manager Projects at Ignite, highlighted the significance of the graduation of Cohort 13, noting the steady growth of Pakistan’s startup ecosystem and its increasing visibility on the global stage.

He shared that Ignite’s National Incubation Centres (NICs), established across major cities, have become strong platforms for innovation and entrepreneurship, supporting startups in building practical, market-ready solutions, particularly in the technology space.

Abbasi added that the graduating startups of Cohort 13 reflect this progress, demonstrating the impact of structured mentorship, access to funding opportunities, and strong industry connections.

He emphasised that NICs continue to play an important role in preparing startups to scale, compete internationally, and contribute to Pakistan’s digital economy and broader economic prosperity by building innovative, export-oriented ventures that generate jobs, attract investment, and strengthen the country’s long-term economic growth.

The event also featured testimonials from startup founders, who shared their entrepreneurial journeys, key milestones, and success stories.

They highlighted how NIC Karachi’s structured incubation program, mentorship, and access to industry networks played a pivotal role in transforming their ideas into scalable and sustainable businesses. The ceremony concluded with a formal certificate distribution segment, where the guests presented certificates to the graduating startups.

The AI race has intensified the rivalry between China and the United States, and the White House on Thursday accused Chinese entities of a massive effort to steal artificial intelligence technology.

Hangzhou-based DeepSeek burst onto the scene in January last year with a generative AI chatbot, powered by its R1 reasoning model, that upended assumptions of US dominance in the strategic sector.

DeepSeek-V4, “features an ultra-long context”, the company said in a statement on social media platform WeChat, hailing it as “world-leading… with drastically reduced compute (and) memory costs” in a separate announcement on X.

V4 supports a context length of one million “tokens” – small components of text including words or punctuation – putting it on par with Google’s Gemini.

Context length determines how much input a model is able to absorb to help it complete tasks.

The new V4 is released as two versions, DeepSeek-V4-Pro and DeepSeek-V4-Flash, with the latter being “a more efficient and economical choice” because it has smaller parameters.

In terms of “world knowledge”, a benchmark for reasoning, V4-Pro trails only the latest Gemini model, DeepSeek said.

A “preview version” of the open source model is now available, the company said, without indicating when a final version would be released.

‘Inflection point’

Experts say V4’s arrival marks an “inflection point” in terms of hardware and cost.

“This addresses the long-standing issues of slower performance and higher costs associated with long context lengths, marking a genuine inflection point for the industry,” Zhang Yi, the founder of tech research firm iiMedia, told AFP.

“For end users, this will bring widespread, accessible benefits. For instance, if ultra-long context support becomes a standard feature, long-text processing is expected to move beyond high-end research labs and enter mainstream commercial applications,” he said.

V4-Pro has 1.6 trillion parameters while the V4-Flash has 284 billion parameters, which refine models’ decision-making ability.

The model has also been “optimised” for popular AI Agent products such as Claude Code, OpenClaw, OpenCode and CodeBuddy, the DeepSeek statement said.

DeepSeek’s latest release is a “milestone” for Chinese firms, said veteran AI industry analyst Max Liu.

“It’s a good thing for the entire domestic AI industry. It can provide better models for domestic users and we can now expect a lot more things – more products (and a) more competitive market,” he told AFP.

“This is no less shocking than when DeepSeek first came out” if its new model indeed matches the performance of leading models from Western labs, he added.

‘Sputnik moment’

Last year’s so-called “DeepSeek shock” sparked a sell-off of AI-related shares and a reckoning on business strategy in what was also described as a “Sputnik moment” for the industry.

The chatbot performed at a similar level to ChatGPT and other top American offerings, but the company said it had taken significantly less computing power to develop.

However, its sudden popularity raised questions over data privacy and censorship, with the chatbot often refusing to answer questions on sensitive topics such as the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown.

At home, DeepSeek’s AI tools have been widely adopted by Chinese municipalities and healthcare institutions as well as the financial sector and other businesses.

This has been partly driven by DeepSeek’s decision to make its systems open source, with their inner workings public – in contrast to the proprietary models sold by OpenAI and other Western rivals.

But the White House has accused Chinese firms of vying to “steal” American technology, ahead of an expected summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in Beijing next month.

“The US has evidence that foreign entities, primarily in China, are running industrial-scale distillation campaigns to steal American AI,” Trump’s science and technology chief advisor Michael Kratsios said in a post on X.

Distillation is a common practice within AI development, often used by companies to create cheaper, smaller versions of their own models.

DeepSeek’s Friday announcement also came as Meta said it planned to cut a tenth of its staff as it looks for productivity gains from the rest of the workforce while investing heavily in artificial intelligence. Reports said Microsoft was also looking to trim its ranks.

U.S.-listed shares fell 4.7% in premarket trading.

The company reported quarterly revenue that beat analysts’ estimates, aided by a pickup in demand from its financial services, energy, and communication segments.

Infosys had earlier flagged “good outlook” in the banking and energy segments for the fiscal year that started in April due to artificial intelligence-led demand.

Revenue from the financial services segment, its largest, grew 5% in the quarter ended March.

“We expect acceleration of growth in financial services, and in energy, utilities, resources and services verticals,” chief executive Salil Parekh said in a post-earnings call.

India’s $315-billion IT industry has been struggling with weak tech spending in key markets as clients focus on essential jobs or cost-optimising initiatives amid geopolitical turmoil and macroeconomic uncertainties.

India’s Infosys earned 5.5% of third-quarter revenue from AI services, CEO says

However, a sharp fall in the rupee’s exchange rate has boosted revenue, as software services companies bill in foreign currencies while incurring most costs in rupees.

Larger rival Tata Consultancy Services has reported better-than-expected quarterly results while allaying concerns about the business impact from AI tools. Wipro forecast a weak first quarter, citing muted demand.

Infosys’ consolidated sales rose 13.4% to 464.02 billion rupees ($4.93 billion), surpassing analysts’ average estimate of 460.30 billion rupees, according to data compiled by LSEG.

The Bengaluru-based tech major’s net profit rose 20.87% to 85.01 billion rupees, surpassing the 74.65 billion rupees expected by analysts.

Large order bookings, or deals over $30 million, stood at $3.2 billion during the quarter, compared with $4.8 billion in the previous quarter and $2.6 billion in the year-ago period.

Its Mumbai-listed shares closed 2.2% lower ahead of the results.

Along with OpenAI and Anthropic, Cursor is one of several Silicon Valley startups that have drawn waves of developers by using artificial intelligence to automate coding, a business where AI companies have found early commercial traction.

The deal could give xAI, the ⁠Grok chatbot maker that SpaceX merged with in February, a stronger foothold in the AI coding market where it has so far lagged rivals. It also provides Cursor with more computing capacity to develop AI models.

“The combination of Cursor’s leading product and distribution to expert software engineers with SpaceX’s million H100 equivalent Colossus training supercomputer will allow us to build the world’s most useful models,” SpaceX said in an X post on Tuesday.

“Cursor has also given SpaceX the right to acquire Cursor later this year for $60 billion or pay $10 billion for our work together.”

Colossus is xAI’s supercomputer cluster ⁠in Memphis, which it has touted as the largest in the world. The company has been spending billions of dollars on AI infrastructure.

According to Forbes, Sualeh Asif, originally from Karachi, cofounded Cursor with three friends from MIT.

Asif, boosting a net worth of $1.3 billion, represented Pakistan in the International Math Olympiad from 2016 to 2018.

As per the report, Cursor reached a $29.3 billion valuation in November 2025, after raising $2.3 billion. The startup claims to have more than $1 billion in annualised revenue.

“This is a profoundly proud moment for Pakistan, and undeniable proof for our youth that there is no ceiling to what they can achieve,” Bilal bin Saqib, the Chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, said in a post ​on Thursday.

Saqib noted that talent has never been Pakistan’s problem. “What we lack is the ecosystem to support them locally,” he said.

He was of the view that Sualeh’s story should inspire two things in every young Pakistani, i.e. immense pride and the stubborn conviction.

“We don’t lack brilliant minds; we lack the right conditions. With the right policy, capital, and leadership that treats our youth as our greatest asset, this is a fully solvable problem,” he said.

Meanwhile, the announcement comes ahead of SpaceX’s highly anticipated public debut in the coming months, with the company eyeing ⁠a valuation of close to $1.75 trillion and a $75 billion fundraise that could go down as the biggest IPO in history.

Two product engineering heads at Cursor, a startup that sells ⁠AI models for coding tasks, said in March they joined SpaceX to contribute to the company’s lunar projects and xAI, Musk’s AI startup that ⁠is now part of SpaceX.

Musk welcomed the engineers, Andrew Milich and Jason Ginsberg, saying, “Orbital space centres and mass drivers on the Moon will be incredible.”

Comparable operating profit jumped 54% to 281 million euros in the first quarter of 2026. That was above the average estimate of 250 million euros from analysts polled by Infront.

Nokia’s sales have jumped in recent quarters thanks to high demand for artificial intelligence data centres built by so-called hyperscalers—large cloud service providers—that rely on fibre optic cables.

The Finnish company, previously known for its iconic phone business and later for making 5G gear, is now one of the world’s top manufacturers of optical transport systems after buying U.S.-based Infinera.

Comparable net sales in the quarter reached 4.5 billion euros, in line with market estimates. The Espoo, Finland-based group said net sales from AI and cloud customers climbed 49%.

Iran war has pushed the Gulf region into a state of economic and strategic uncertainty, with disruptions in shipping routes, energy flows, and investment activity. Blockade and intermittent incidents in the Strait of Hormuz—through which a significant share of global oil passes—have rattled markets and slowed business confidence across key Gulf economies, even as fragile diplomatic efforts continue.

Also read: Oil prices up 3.22% after EIA shows drop in fuel stocks, reports container ships in Hormuz hit by gunfire

According to industry experts, Pakistan’s IT companies are witnessing a slowdown in business activities in the Gulf region, particularly in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, whereas a major market such as Saudi Arabia remains stable and growing despite challenges for logistics amid security concerns.

Saad Shah, an IT exporter and CEO of Hexalyze, said Saudi Arabia has maintained its demand for foreign companies in IT sector and infrastructure development despite the tense situation in the region - an evident that many Pakistani companies are getting projects in public and private sectors.

The business environment across other Gulf economies shows signs of a cautious break, as the government and private sectors have kept their new projects on hold not only for Pakistanis but for foreign countries due to the prevailing situation, according to Shah.

Also read: Pakistan’s IT exports surge to over $3bn in 9MFY26

“Pakistani IT companies should remain vigilant in terms of exploring emerging opportunities within the Gulf region, particularly in Saudi Arabia to offset the business slowdown in specific markets of this region due to uncertain geo political situation,” he maintained.

Senior Vice Chairman Pakistan IT Association Muhammad Umair Nizam said the current geopolitical situation in the Gulf region presents a strategic opportunity for Pakistan’s IT sector, rather than solely a threat.

“Success for Pakistani firms will be predicated on demonstrating reliability, adherence to regulatory standards, a nuanced understanding of regional dynamics, and a strong commitment to on-the-ground presence, rather than solely competing on price,” he said.

To capitalise on these opportunities, Nizam continues, Pakistan must strategically enhance its value proposition by focusing on advanced domains including cybersecurity, cloud deployment, AI implementation, digital public infrastructure, fintech solutions, and managed services.

“Concurrently, it is imperative to advocate for policy consistency and cultivate a more robust commercial footprint within Gulf Cooperation Council markets. While Pakistan’s recent export performance and the government’s facilitative measures indicate a solid foundational base, the critical determinant of success will now be the effectiveness of execution,” he further said.

Dr Noman Said, and IT exporter and CEO S I Global Solutions, said the overall peace crisis in the Middle East region exposed vulnerabilities of many countries in Gulf region on a security front.

“On the other, this war unveiled new dimensions and challenges of security threat to be required for deterrence and defense strategy for every country.”

He was of the view that Pakistani IT sector did not only need to develop an advanced security system for its own cyber borders but it had to aid Saudi Arabia to ensure its defense system as per a strategic agreement signed by the two countries.

Dr Noman said IT companies might witness a shift of business within the Gulf region. However, he added, the availability of human capital was prerequisite in fields of cybersecurity, AI, and advanced security operations to meet the emerging demand in foreign markets.

“With the experienced and trained professionals in the field of advanced security, our country needs to prepare a cyber army for its own defense first and export manpower in this field to GCC region and different countries of the world in the second phase.”

He suggested that a national level programme should be designed on human resource development in IT and security operations to cater to the national and international demands.

“In this regard, the ministry of education and defense should launch an advanced curriculum in public and private sector universities to prepare a cyber army in near future,” Dr Noman said.

The prime minister, while chairing a meeting on the promotion of EVs, said that efforts underway to accelerate the promotion of EVs in the country should be further expedited.

During the briefing, the PM was told that a total of 72 manufacturing certificates have been issued for electric motorcycles and rickshaws, while four certificates have been issued for EVs.

Energy vehicles: PHEVs gaining ground as practical solution

It was learned that 123 applications have so far been received for the establishment of EV charging stations.

Moreover, a plan is being developed for 30% of vehicles in the country to run on electricity over the next five years, which is expected to save up to $4.5 billion in fuel costs.

It was said that government employees up to Grade 16 will be provided with electric bikes on easy instalments.

During the meeting, PM said that in view of the current regional situation and future requirements, the promotion of EVs will not only reduce the burden of fuel imports but is also important for environmental protection and energy security.

He said that under the National EV Policy, transparency in subsidies provided for electric motorcycles to low-income individuals must be ensured, and the implementation of this scheme should be further accelerated.

The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Dr Musadik Malik, Ahsan Iqbal, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Attaullah Tarar, Owais Khan Leghari, Ahad Khan Cheema; Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani; Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar; Chairman Prime Minister Youth Programme Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan; Governor State Bank Jameel Ahmad; and other senior officials.

He said this during a meeting with a delegation of business leaders and development practitioners led by Taimur Siddique, Director Shahi Group, as per a statement.

“Pakistan has a strong foundation for export-led growth, particularly in sectors such as textiles, leather, and value-added recycled products,” he said.

He noted that hubs like Karachi offer natural advantages due to port connectivity, skilled labor, and an established industrial ecosystem.

“Pakistan has the talent, infrastructure, and entrepreneurial capacity.

Our focus is to connect this potential with global markets through policy support and digital platforms,” the minister said.

The meeting also explored innovative marketing approaches, including storytelling-based branding, where products are linked with social impact narratives such as community development and women empowerment.

Khan said that Pakistan’s traditional industries such as carpet weaving and handicrafts can be revitalized by integrating them with modern digital platforms.

He noted that while such sectors faced decline in the past due to limited market access, e-commerce now offers an opportunity to scale them sustainably.

During the discussion, participants highlighted successful grassroots initiatives, including stitching and vocational training centers in Balochistan where young women are being trained on modern equipment.

These centers are enabling local communities to produce export-quality goods, creating income opportunities at the grassroots level.

The minister stressed that training alone is not sufficient without market access.

He underscored the importance of linking such initiatives with e-commerce platforms, allowing locally produced goods to reach international buyers. He noted that digital trade has opened new avenues, particularly for remote and underserved areas.

On the policy side, Khan reiterated the government’s commitment to improving the ease of doing business. He shared that steps were being taken to rationalize export-related charges, streamline regulatory frameworks, and address key concerns such as tax refunds and claims to improve liquidity for exporters.

He also emphasized the need to address challenges posed by the informal sector, stating that undocumented businesses create unfair competition for tax-compliant enterprises. Strengthening enforcement and promoting documentation, he noted, would enhance competitiveness and attract investment.

The Minister appreciated these proposals, noting that building self-sustaining local institutions can accelerate development and reduce dependency on external funding.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to promote public-private collaboration, strengthen digital trade ecosystems, and create an enabling environment for businesses and entrepreneurs.

The leadership change marks the end of an era at one of the world’s most iconic companies, just as rivals bet on products ​that use AI to loosen Apple’s grip on the consumer ​electronics market.

Apple names insider John Ternus as CEO, Cook to become executive chairman

Here are some key facts about Ternus:

Longtime veteran

Ternus joined ⁠Apple’s product design team in 2001 and became a vice president ​of hardware engineering in 2013.

He joined the firm’s executive team in ​2021, when he took on his current role of senior vice president of hardware engineering, reporting to Cook.

Hardware engineering bets

Ternus has overseen some of Apple’s most consequential ​hardware bets in recent years, including the teams behind the iPhone, ​iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and AirPods.

He has played a key role in reigniting sales ‌of ⁠products such as Apple’s Mac computers, which have gained market share in recent years.

Iphone revamp

Ternus most recently showed the company’s iPhone Air last fall, the biggest revamp of the iPhone since 2017.

Apple hands reins to ​ternus

Ternus will take ​over as ⁠Apple CEO on September 1, succeeding Cook - who has led Apple since 2011 and will become the company’s ​executive chairman.

Ternus, 50, is the same age as ​Cook when ⁠he took over the reins as CEO from co-founder Steve Jobs in 2011.

He will also join Apple’s board effective September 1.

Early career

Before Apple, Ternus ⁠worked ​as a mechanical engineer at Virtual Research ​Systems. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

With Pakistan entering the age of next-generation connectivity, the nation finds itself at an important technological junction. The recent launch of 5G services in sixteen major cities, such as Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi, and Lahore, achieves a significant milestone in the nation’s digital advancement.

For a country that has frequently found it challenging to stay aligned with worldwide technological advancements, the introduction of 5G signifies a crucial milestone. However, the true importance of this advancement is not only in quicker downloads or more seamless video streaming. The more profound inquiry is whether Pakistan is ready to utilise this technological advancement to develop a competitive digital economy.

Discussions about 5G frequently concentrate too much on internet speed. Though quicker connectivity is undoubtedly beneficial, limiting the technology to mere entertainment or convenience misses its wider economic impact. Worldwide, fifth-generation mobile networks are transforming entire industries — including healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and agriculture.

Pakistan, home to over 240 million people and a quickly growing digital user demographic, is poised to benefit greatly from this transformation. Enhanced connectivity can facilitate remote healthcare services in neglected regions, smart agricultural systems that maximise water and fertiliser efficiency, and industrial automation that boosts productivity in manufacturing.

If 5G is restricted to urban regions and wealthy users, its overall growth opportunities will stay limited.

These options are not theoretical aspirations; they signify the real-world uses of contemporary digital systems. Nations that have effectively embraced 5G technology are currently incorporating it into smart city projects, advanced logistics frameworks, and next-gen industrial networks.

For many years, discussions about spectrum pricing, regulatory ambiguity, and economic instability hindered advancements in next-generation networks. As neighboring and rival economies advanced their digital infrastructure investments, Pakistan mostly stayed limited to trial phases and policy talks.

The launch of 5G services holds a significant symbolic importance. It indicates a shift from testing to execution, implying that the nation’s telecom industry is at last prepared to progress from restricted trials to broader rollout. However, symbolism by itself is insufficient for achieving digital transformation.

Infrastructure, though crucial, is merely one component of a much broader system. To unlock the full potential of 5G, Pakistan needs to enhance complementary skills in various areas. This encompasses well-defined regulatory structures, assistance for tech startups, funding for research and development, and a workforce trained with sophisticated digital abilities. Lacking these foundations, the potential of 5G could remain significantly unfulfilled.

The digital environment in Pakistan still encounters fundamental difficulties. Broadband access continues to be unequal, especially in rural areas where connectivity issues remain. Energy deficits continue to disturb telecom infrastructure in numerous regions, while the digital gap keeps millions from having dependable access to online services.

In these situations, merely placing high-speed network towers in key urban areas might not be adequate. If 5G is restricted to urban regions and wealthy users, its overall growth opportunities will stay limited.

The financial consequences of this shift are considerable. Globally, nations that are investing in high-speed connectivity are seeing swift growth in digital sectors. From online shopping and financial technology to artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud services, advanced networks constitute the foundation of contemporary economic systems.

The young population of Pakistan has the potential to be one of its most significant assets in this change. Millions of young Pakistanis are actively involved in online freelancing, software creation, and digital entrepreneurship. Improved connectivity could significantly broaden these possibilities, facilitating increased involvement in worldwide digital markets.

Simultaneously, quicker and more dependable networks can enhance governance, education, and healthcare services. Online education platforms, telehealth services, and electronic public services all rely on strong communication infrastructure. In this regard, the launch of 5G is not just a tech enhancement; it signifies a key chance for economic diversification and innovation.

However, opportunities by themselves do not ensure advancement. Pakistan currently encounters a significant policy dilemma: will 5G be regarded merely as a telecom industry achievement, or will it serve as the foundation of a wider digital growth plan?

History provides warning lessons. The nation has frequently welcomed technological progress without thoroughly incorporating it into sustainable development strategies. The current danger is that 5G might take a comparable path hailed as a technological milestone yet not fully leveraged as a catalyst for economic change.

Thus, for policymakers, the task is evident. Investments in digital infrastructure should be paired with investments in digital literacy, innovation ecosystems, and regulatory stability. Universities, research organisations, and the private sector need to work together to develop the technological skills essential for a thriving digital economy.

In the end, the importance of 5G will not be determined solely by network speed. Its real worth will hinge on how successfully Pakistan incorporates connectivity into its developmental plans.

The towers could be emerging throughout the skylines of Pakistan’s key cities, sending signals at remarkable speeds. However, the nation’s genuine advancement will rely on whether its policies, institutions, and aspirations can evolve at a similar pace.

In the worldwide competition for technological progress, countries that delay may find themselves at a disadvantage.

The article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Business Recorder or its owners

Under the agreement, Huawei will support SHB in designing technology architectures and building data platforms, SHB said in a statement.

It will also support the bank in ensuring stable and safe operations, according to the statement.

“The cooperation with SHB is an important milestone in the group’s market expansion in Vietnam,” Spawn Fan, a Huawei senior executive, said in the statement.

Huawei has been cooperating with other Vietnamese financial institutions such as SCB, SeABank and Home Credit, focusing on digital transformation, security, data analytics, cloud computing, and optimising banking system operations, according to the Vietnam Banks Association.

Huawei last year won contracts to build parts of Vietnam’s 5G network in a major shift from Hanoi’s prior policy barring Chinese companies from its 5G infrastructure.

One of the chips is a memory processing unit designed to work with Google’s tensor processing unit (TPU) and the other chip is a new TPU built specifically for running AI models, the report said.

Google has been pushing to make its TPUs a viable alternative to Nvidia’s dominant GPUs. TPU sales have become a key driver of growth in Google’s cloud revenue as it aims to show investors that its AI investments are generating returns.

READ MORE: EU spells out how Google must share data with rivals

Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Google and Marvell did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.

The companies aim to finalize the design of the memory processing unit as soon as next year before handing it off for test production, according to the report.

The rocket, which had a launch window of 6:45 a.m. to 12:19 p.m. ET on Sunday, lifted off at around 7:25 a.m. ET (1125 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and the booster touchdown happened about 10 minutes later.

New Glenn carried AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 satellite to low-Earth orbit in a flight that marks a pivotal step for the company.

The mission was key to demonstrating that New Glenn, a 29-story heavy-lift rocket, has a reliable booster reuse capability and can compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

READ MORE: After Artemis II, NASA looks to SpaceX, Blue Origin for Moon landings

The rocket’s booster, dubbed “Never Tell Me the Odds,” previously flew on the NG-2 mission in November and was recovered, setting up this week’s milestone attempt.

The booster’s name is a nod to a Han Solo line in the film “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.”

Following a series of delays earlier this month, the mission comes amid a surge of activity in the space sector, including the successful NASA Artemis II lunar flyby that took humans further from Earth than any had traveled before.

Blue Origin had said in November that it would build a bigger, more powerful variant of its New Glenn rocket, called New Glenn 9x4.

AST satellite constellation

New Glenn is designed for the higher end of the commercial launch market with a seven-meter (23-foot) nose cone allowing it to carry bulkier payloads, including multiple satellites in a single mission.

AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7, carried into orbit on NG-3, is the second satellite in its next-generation Block 2 constellation. The satellite features what the company describes as the largest commercial communications array deployed in low-Earth orbit.

Designed to connect directly with smartphones, the satellite is part of an effort to build a space-based cellular broadband network, similar to Amazon’s Leo or SpaceX’s Starlink.

AST SpaceMobile is targeting a constellation of 45 to 60 such satellites by the end of 2026.

Tesla’s official robotaxi account on X announced the launch and posted two videos showing its best-selling Model Y ​SUVs running in the two cities with no human ​driver or monitor in the front seats.

It posted two ⁠map images outlining service boundaries, but did not disclose further ​details such as fleet size or pricing.

“Try Tesla Robotaxi in Dallas & ​Houston!” CEO Elon Musk said reposting the X post.

Tesla’s move comes as the robotaxi business has regained momentum with Alphabet’s Waymo and Amazon’s Zoox speeding ​up expansion.

Expanding the robotaxi service and wider adoption of its ​full self-driving software, a version of which underpins the technology, is key to ‌Tesla’s ⁠growth strategy as Musk has pivoted the company’s focus to artificial intelligence and robotics from EVs.

Much of the company’s $1.3 trillion valuation hinges on that bet.

Tesla first deployed a small group of self-driving ​taxis in an ​area of Austin ⁠with human safety monitors and other restrictions. The company has since widened the service area and ​started removing the monitors.

Last year, Tesla also started ​a ⁠ride-hailing service in the San Francisco Bay Area. Musk has promised to expand the robotaxi service rapidly in the U.S., but missed ⁠earlier predictions ​of its robotaxis operating widely in ​multiple U.S. metro areas by the end of 2025.