Pakistan allocates excessive power from the country's grid to Bitcoin (BTC) mining and artificial intelligence (AI) data centres, according to Bilal Bin Saqib, an advisor to the country's crypto council and the Ministry of Finance.
As Reuters reported, the initiative follows consultations with multiple mining companies and forms part of a broader strategy to advance its position in emerging technologies while addressing structural inefficiencies in the energy sector.
This effort coincides with Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the founder of Binance. He was appointed strategic advisor To the Cryptocourse of Pakistan.
The report reviews documents confirming the role of Zhao's advisory and covers guidance on blockchain infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and support for the National Crypto Initiative.
Power surplus and mining sites planning
Pakistan's energy sector is experiencing volatility due to power tariffs and sustained overcapacity. Expansion of solar equipment by consumers aimed at reducing energy costs reduces complex national grid demand forecasts and industry off-take reductions.
As a result, the government is seeking a pathway to transforming surplus generations into economically productive activities.
Saqib said the availability of excess electricity in the area will determine the location of the mining centre. He said that several states have already exhibited a consistent pattern of oversupply, allowing them to support localized mining operations without straining the wider energy network.
He also highlighted the country's ambition to diversify the use of surplus energy, citing AI data centers as a parallel deployment. These facilities are expected to require continuous high density computing workloads that can operate in sync with the intermittent nature of available grid surplus.
Consultations with mining companies are underway to determine infrastructure, energy offtake agreements and compliance protocols.
Expanding regulations and education
Zhao's inclusion in the advisory committee is part of a broader institutional advancement. His involvement extends to regulatory development and helps establish a sandbox environment that allows fintech startups and crypto-related ventures to operate under limited supervision.
According to Saqib, Pakistan has between 15 and 20 million crypto users despite no formal regulations. The country is also ranked as the third largest freelance economy in the world.
These user demographics, coupled with the penetration of the Internet and the expansion of the mature fintech sector, are central to their focus on blockchain and crypto as a field of structured growth.
Saqib advocated high-end blockchain and AI programs aimed at the youth population. These initiatives aim to position the country as a digital service exporter while creating employment opportunities in the field of technology alignment.
Education Outreach is expected to focus on blockchain engineering, DEFI infrastructure and AI modeling, supporting the needs of domestic industry and export of services across borders. The use of Bitcoin mining as a sink for over-electric production reflects the pivot of national policies to monetize under-utilized infrastructure.
Final site selection and partner announcements hold pending completion of regional energy availability assessments and compliance with new technical standards.
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