Interview with Miral Sharif, Country Head – Yango Pakistan ‘Safety and fair pricing are the key focus areas for us’

Miral Sharif is currently serving as the Country Head of Yango Pakistan. She is responsible for leading operations and driving the company’s growth in the country, with a focus on enhancing Yango’s market presence, optimizing service delivery and business development across all services. She is focused on all services in the Yango Super App, including Ride, Delivery as well as Shops.

Before her role at the Country Head, Miral served as City Manager at Yango Pakistan, where she played a pivotal role in local operations and market expansion. She has also held leadership positions at Daraz, where she was Regional Head of Commercial P&L Management, and at Swvl, where held multiple positions ranging from Senior Global Strategy Manager to General Manager Islamabad. Earlier in her career, she gained experience in telecom with Ufone and Zong CMPak Ltd, working across pricing, process improvement, and customer segments.

A graduate of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Miral is a cross-functional leader with expertise in operational management, commercial strategy, and business development. Proven track record in P&L management, pricing optimization, market segmentation, and scaling businesses

The following are the edited excerpts of a recent conversation of BR Research with Miral Sharif that revolved around Yango’s entry into Pakistan, safety as a core focus, and her overall vision for the technology ecosystem of Pakistan

BR Research: Safety is a top concern in ride-hailing. What specific measures has Yango introduced in Pakistan to ensure the safety of both passengers and drivers?

Miral Sharif: Safety is our number one priority, which has been the case since day one and we absolutely do not compromise on it, and I personally make sure of it! Safety is a core driver for building trust among the customer base which in turn builds the brand. We always go the extra mile to ensure every ride is a smooth and pleasant experience for all parties.

In addition to having a dedicated safety team as well as a support team to handle such cases, we’ve also introduced a number of features in the Yango Ride service to make rides more secure for both passengers and partner drivers. Safety at Yango Ride is divided in three parts: driver onboarding scrutiny (in-app + via partner), stacked up safety center in the Yango app and public/ private partnerships with Govt authorities and other like Insurance and Telecom companies

Driver’s Info: During Yango Pro registration, drivers must upload a profile photo. This allows passengers to verify the driver's identity by comparing the photo in the app with the driver in person, adding an extra layer of security.

Driver’s Verification: Drivers must upload photos of their driver's licence (front, back, and a selfie with the licence) and their car. Access to orders is only granted after these documents are verified, ensuring that all drivers are properly vetted.

Regular Selfie Verification Checks: Drivers are obliged to pass regular selfie checks to ensure that access to a drivers account is not shared or given to anyone.

Safety Center: Accessible for both drivers and passengers in their respective applications, the Safety Center is available before, during, and after the ride.

Trusted Contacts: Passengers can add up to three trusted contacts from their address book. They can choose to share ride details automatically or manually, ensuring that someone always knows their whereabouts during a ride.

SOS Button: In case of emergency, passengers can use the SOS button to reach local law enforcement authorities directly from the app, ensuring swift and timely assistance.

Live Location/Route Share: Passengers can share real-time trip details, including the route, driver's name, and car plate number, with their contacts, enhancing safety through transparency.

Driver’s Rating Display: Passengers can view the driver's rating, which is based on feedback from previous riders, helping them make informed decisions about their rides.

In-Ride Insurance: All of your Yango Rides come with in-ride insurance for passengers.

Call Masking: Passengers can call drivers via the app to avoid involuntary phone numbers exchange between them.

Driving style: Driver’s behaviour (aggressive driving/speed limit violations are also monitored real time, which leads to inquiry, temporary blocking etc to the driver.

BRR: How does Yango handle emergencies or complaints related to driver behavior, and what protocols are in place for quick resolution?

MS: We have developed critical case protocols which activate all relevant teams within strict SLAs. We have a dedicated 24/7 customer care team that is available for both partner drivers and passengers. They investigate every complaint with urgency and are the first to respond or delegate the complaint to other teams as needed.Similarly, we have a dedicated safety team that is alerted and activated on any cases that require their support.

Passengers and drivers can report issues directly in-app, and we follow a stringent yet structured escalation process.Our internal security and safety teams work in tandem with the complainants and law enforcing agencies (LEA) to make sure all complaints are taken care of and appropriate action taken by Yango and LEA.

Depending on severity, actions range from immediate trip cancellation and rider reallocation to suspension or permanent deactivation of drivers who violate the strict standards of our service. Similarly, we are always committed to cooperate and provide our full support to local law enforcement authorities in their official investigation processes as well.

Additionally, we have a safety feature in the app that is called ‘SOS button’, which instantly connects the passengers to 15 local authorities, while also alerting Yango’s internal support and safety teams so we can follow up and provide on-ground assistance in real time.

BRR: Reliability is key in building customer trust. What steps has Yango taken to ensure consistent service quality and timely rides, especially in cities where infrastructure can be unpredictable?

MS: We’ve invested heavily in routing, batching, and dispatch algorithms that adapt to local realities like traffic congestion, peak hours, and road closures. This ensures better estimated arrival times and reduces cancellations.

Unlike many global players, Yango Ride also uses dynamic but transparent pricing models that are assisted with AI, meaning customers see fair rates upfront, and drivers get clarity on earnings. In this particular regard, we are blessed with a strong parent company, the Yango Group, that has far superior technology that we can learn and benefit from.

BRR: Many ride-hailing apps struggle with cancellations and pricing fluctuations. How is Yango addressing these issues to build stronger reliability for users?

MS: Two things: incentives and transparency. On cancellations, our system discourages last-minute cancellations by drivers and rewards those with high completion rates. On pricing, our algorithm is designed to be predictable, with small adjustments for supply-demand balance, but no shocking price jumps or haggling to promote transparency and convenience. This helps passengers trust us and gives drivers confidence in earnings.

Similarly, a primary strategy we work on is that we always remain flexible; if something works, we are very keen on adopting it. We realised that while ride-hailing was a great start and has given us the ability to expand and grow, that cannot be the only thing we do. And the vision and the aspiration always was to simplify lives of people, which is not just needed in transportation, but in so many places like getting water, or buying something from a store.

BRR: Beyond ride-hailing, Yango offers delivery and cargo services. How do you see these verticals growing in Pakistan, and what differentiates your approach from competitors?

MS: Pakistan’s logistics and e-commerce space is at an inflection point, with the e-commerce market valued at over $5 billion in 2023 and projected to reach $6.7 billion by 2029. This growth is fueling demand for reliable last-mile and cargo solutions. The domestic courier, express, and parcel market alone stands at ~$2.8 billion in 2024 and is expected to expand steadily over the next decade.

Express delivery options connect well to our promise of creating convenience for our customers. The drive to bring positive impact in the lives of people is aided by our delivery services through which customers can send different sizes and kinds of parcels from point A to point B by selecting the appropriate ride option for the purpose.

We are different from our competitors by offering insurance options, affordable prices and multitude of delivery options depending on the requirement. Our user Interface is very customer friendly and customers can easily track their orders in real time through our app.

Similarly, through Yango Tech, we provide retailers and businesses with the full technology stack, from warehouse management to courier apps and delivery optimization. That means we’re not only moving people, but also building infrastructure for the country’s growing digital commerce.

BRR: With increasing demand for logistics solutions, how does Yango plan to scale delivery and cargo services while maintaining affordability and service standards?

MS: Affordability comes from efficiency. The AI-driven batching and routing we use reduces empty miles and fuel waste, allowing us to pass savings on to customers while generating the optimum earning opportunities for partner drivers. On scaling, we’re onboarding local courier partners and small businesses into the ecosystem, so growth is distributed and sustainable rather than concentrated in a single fleet.

Additionally, the tech we use and the culture we have managed to build over the years, are the biggest enablers for building amazing delivery solutions. From Bike to Cargo - we are giving multiple options to customers to get their items delivered in a fast and affordable way. We are constantly working on adding new features and options for our customers as we believe in creating convenience.

BRR: Several global ride-hailing companies have exited Pakistan, citing sustainability challenges. What motivated Yango to enter this market, and how does your business model differ from those who left?

MS: Pakistan is one of the fastest-growing digital economies, with a young, mobile-first population. For us, the motivation is long-term: we’re not here just to capture rides, but to build an ecosystem. Unlike some players who treated Pakistan as an extension market, we are local-first in approach, adapting our app features, safety protocols, and logistics solutions to Pakistani adapting and maneuvering through the market realities as they develop.

Similarly, we acknowledge the fact that the Pakistani mobility sector is a very huge yet diverse industry which is spread across multiple cities of Pakistan. The need for last-mile connectivity, especially when it comes to daily college or office goers, is at an all time high and the public infrastructure at this point in time does not fully cater to it and that is the gap that Yango is aiming to fill and do so sustainably.

What differentiates us from others is our lean working model- Yango Ride does not have its own cars or drivers. Instead, it partners with local transportation companies, helping them to optimize their operations and grow their businesses through cutting-edge technologies. This enables us to focus on the larger things, while our partners take care of the on-ground supply situation.

BRR: In terms of customer complaints, whether it’s pricing, driver availability, or app experience, what mechanisms has Yango put in place to listen, respond, and continuously improve?

MS: Across all services that Yango offers in Pakistan, customer feedback is not just a support function—it’s a core input into how we operate and evolve. We’ve built multiple layers of listening and action:

24/7 In-App Support: Customers can instantly report issues related to pricing, driver behavior, or technical glitches directly through the app, ensuring no feedback is lost.

Data-Driven Monitoring: Our platform continuously tracks ride metrics—like driver acceptance rates, wait times, and pricing fluctuations—so we can proactively identify and resolve pain points before they escalate.

Dedicated Quality Teams: Complaints are reviewed by specialized teams who investigate cases, apply fair resolutions, and use insights to update policies or training.

Driver & Partner Feedback Loops: We gather feedback from partner drivers and business partners as frequently as we do from passengers— allowing us to improve matching algorithms, route optimization, and incentive structures.

Continuous Product Iteration: Insights from all these channels feed directly into our product development cycle—whether that’s refining our user interface, expanding payment options, or enhancing real-time tracking.

Our approach ensures that feedback isn’t just acknowledged—it drives tangible changes, helping us stay competitive and deliver a consistently reliable experience to our users.

BRR: As Country Head, what is your vision for Yango’s role in Pakistan’s mobility and digital economy over the next three years?

MS: I believe that the road ahead for Pakistan’s economy as a whole is indeed a very promising one. Pakistan is an extremely resilient nation and the most powerful tool in our hands is our ability to adapt to the changing economy.

Companies need to stay ahead of the trends in their industry, identify opportunities in this highly advanced digital world and adapt early. Stay lean and modify their costs and strategies to the changing economic structure. In Pakistan for instance, the adoption of digital services will accelerate rapidly and as a result we can expect a range of non-tech sector industries to digitize quickly as well - from restaurants and shops, to the entire service sector and even government services.

My vision is for Yango to be recognised as used more than just a ride-hailing app, rather a Super App - to be a mobility and commerce enabler. That means safer, more reliable rides; scaling delivery and cargo to support SMEs; and eventually, embedding financial services into the app to drive digital adoption.

Customers want a place to get their daily essentials and we’re providing it. The Super App is our big bet for the next few years. We are working with agility and staying true to our entrepreneurial roots and aim to further put ruthless focus on the customer. This also goes hand-to-hand in identifying the trends that are here to stay and iterating along the way. We will remain flexible, if something works, we will be open to adopt it.

In short, Pakistan has barely scratched the surface of what’s possible in tech-driven mobility, and Yango intends to be a long-term partner in that journey.

BRR: Having worked with platforms like Daraz and SWVL before Yango, how has your prior experience in e-commerce and mobility shaped your strategy for expanding Yango’s footprint in Pakistan?

MS: At Daraz, I learned the importance of trust and reliability in building consumer platforms; at SWVL, I saw firsthand the challenges of scaling mobility in complex cities. Those experiences taught me that in Pakistan, you need operational excellence, brand trust, local adaptability and global technology. With Yango, I’ve brought those lessons together, ensuring we operate as a locally rooted, globally powered platform.

BRR. How does Pakistan fit into Yango’s broader regional playbook across the GCC and MENAP markets?

MS: Pakistan is one of the tier 1 markets for Yango due to many reasons. The first one being that we are actually solving a need in Pakistan, where unfortunately the public infrastructure’s capacity is not able to cater to the demand. There are millions of people that rely on us for safe, affordable and reliable transport during their daily lives- be it daily office commute, college and university students, or simply families going for outings.

The second reason is that in the past few years, we have witnessed immense growth in our services, clearly stating that the public appreciates our service and chooses us despite having competition. We take that as a responsibility and will aim to ensure that we continue to be their everyday mobility choice.

BRR. In one line, why should companies in Pakistan choose Yango over any other ride solution?

MS: Oh, it's simple. You choose Yango if you want a safe, affordable and reliable ride- EVERY SINGLE TIME!