Bilal Bin Saqib to advise PM on blockchain, crypto as Pakistan eyes digital future

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appointed Bilal Bin Saqib as Special Assistant on Blockchain and Cryptocurrency, giving him the status of a state minister. The move signals Pakistan’s growing interest in shaping a digital economy and placing Pakistan among a small group of countries giving formal attention to crypto policy. 
 
Bilal, a London School of Economics graduate, is already well-known in the tech and innovation space. He leads the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) and serves as Chief Adviser to the Finance Minister. His recent work in global tech partnerships and youth empowerment earned him a spot in Forbes Asia’s 30 Under 30 and the MBE honour from King Charles III. 
 
As head of the PCC, Bilal has been working to connect Pakistan with international players in digital finance. One of the Council’s recent partnerships is with World Liberty Financial (WLF), a US-based decentralised finance platform said to have the backing of President Donald Trump and his family. The collaboration focuses on bringing stablecoins and blockchain-based financial tools to Pakistan. 
 
In another move, he invited Binance founder Changpeng Zhao to serve as a strategic adviser to the PCC, helping shape regulations, infrastructure, and awareness around crypto in Pakistan. 
 
Bilal’s new role as SAPM will involve laying out a national framework for digital assets that meets international standards, especially those set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). He is also expected to oversee the introduction of Bitcoin mining, the use of blockchain in government systems such as land records, and licensing of virtual asset providers. 
 
Last week, Bilal met Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Their discussion revolved around how technologies like blockchain, crypto and artificial intelligence could help boost the country’s economy and create new opportunities for Pakistan’s youth. 
 
Pakistan currently ranks among the top ten countries for crypto adoption, with about 40 million users and an estimated annual trading volume of over 300 billion dollars. With more than 60 per cent of the population under 30 and tens of thousands of IT graduates entering the workforce each year, many believe Pakistan has the potential to become a major player in the global digital economy. 
 
Bilal says the country’s youth are ready. “We are building for a generation that sees digital finance and decentralisation not as trends, but as tools to shape the future.” 

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