The Pakistan Freelancers Association (PAFLA), the national-level
representative body of freelancers, and Innovista, a National
Initiative of SIFC for collaborative workspaces and innovative
platforms, have announced a strategic partnership aimed at creating
transformative opportunities, including capacity building and business
collaboration more than 50,000 freelancers every year across Pakistan.
This landmark collaboration is set to reshape the freelance ecosystem
through capacity building, digital infrastructure, and policy
advocacy—paving the way for freelancers to play an even more critical
role in the national economy.
Chairman PAFLA Ibrahim Amin and CEO Innovista Hisham Sarwar signed the
MOA in Islamabad to launch collaborative events and impactful
initiatives aimed at empowering youth across Pakistan through
freelancing and digital skills.
“Freelancers are no longer just a side segment of the workforce — they
are front and center in Pakistan’s digital economy with more than $500
million contribution to bring in foreign exchange in Pakistan, said
Ibrahim Amin, Chairman of PAFLA.
This partnership with Innovista aligns perfectly with the mission to
empower freelancers, advocate for policy reforms, and ensure their
contributions are formally recognized in Pakistan’s economic
framework, he said and added. Freelancers are helping bridge foreign
exchange gaps and creating self-sufficiency across sectors, as they
deserve infrastructure and recognition at par with traditional
sectors.”
Pakistan has emerged as one of the top five countries contributing to
the international gig workforce with strength of around 2.37 million
and increasing across the country, he further said.
The PAFLA has registered more than 0.1 million freelancers as members
community with its significant representation across the country. The
association was taken organized 35 seminars and 25 training sessions,
including with Google Inc.
CEO Innovista Hasham Sarwar said that the PAFLA-Innovista partnership
is focused on providing training, technology access, financial
literacy, and global client connectivity to unlock the full potential
of Pakistan’s freelancers, aiming to enhance employability and
position Pakistan on a global stage.
Through this partnership, Innovista will deploy its digital tools,
learning modules, and community engagement resources to create an
inclusive environment for Pakistani freelancers — especially women and
youth in underserved regions, he said and added. By partnering with
PAFLA, we are building a robust landscape where freelancers can
thrive, earn sustainably, and become engines of Pakistan’s economic
future. We’re focusing on skilling, scaling, and supporting
freelancers so they not only earn a living but also uplift their
communities.
Key initiatives under the PAFLA-Innovista partnership, including the
launch of nationwide freelancers training bootcamps, access to
co-working and co-learning space at Innovista, creating awareness
campaigns on freelancing rights, taxation, and global platforms, and
onboarding of the freelancers at Innovista etc.
