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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has announced the allocation of 2,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity to Bitcoin mining and artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, marking the first phase of a national strategy aimed at monetizing surplus energy, attracting foreign investment, and positioning the country as a digital hub.
The initiative, led by the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) under the Ministry of Finance, seeks to transform underutilized power capacity into a high-value economic asset. Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb called the move “a pivotal moment in Pakistan’s digital transformation journey,” adding that it would turn excess energy into “innovation, investment, and international revenue.”
Pakistan’s geographic location—situated as a digital bridge between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East—has already piqued interest from global Bitcoin miners and AI firms. According to a statement from the Finance Division, major players are expected to visit the country in the coming weeks.
“Since the inception of the Pakistan Crypto Council, there has been tremendous interest from global Bitcoin miners and data infrastructure companies,” the press release said.
Bilal Bin Saqib, CEO of the PCC, emphasized the economic potential of the move, noting that repurposing surplus power, particularly from underutilized plants, into AI and crypto operations could generate foreign exchange in U.S. dollars. “This energy-backed digital transformation not only unlocks high-value investment but enables the government to generate foreign exchange in USD through Bitcoin mining,” Saqib said.
He also hinted at longer-term goals, including the accumulation of Bitcoin in a national wallet, which would shift the focus from selling electricity in local currency to holding digital assets for economic stability.
Pakistan’s ambitions in the digital arena are further supported by the recent landing of the 45,000-kilometer Africa-2 submarine internet cable, boosting bandwidth and redundancy—key requirements for data-heavy AI operations.
The country’s population of 250 million, including 40 million crypto users, provides a strong foundation for the development of a regional tech ecosystem.
The 2,000MW allocation marks only the first phase of a larger, multi-stage rollout of digital infrastructure. Future developments are expected to include facilities powered by renewable energy, drawing from Pakistan’s wind, solar, and hydropower resources, as well as strategic partnerships with leading blockchain and AI firms.
Plans also include the creation of fintech and innovation hubs, backed by proposed incentives such as tax holidays, customs duty exemptions on imported equipment, and reduced tax rates for AI infrastructure developers.
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