Latest news with #Bilal
Express Tribune
07-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Pakistan aims to lead in digital assets race
Listen to article Pakistan's Minister of State for Crypto and Blockchain Bilal Bin Saqib met with top US officials and lawmakers this week in Washington DC to strengthen cooperation in digital assets, blockchain regulation and financial innovation. The minister held discussions with Senator Cynthia Lummis, a key architect of US crypto legislation, along with Senators Bill Hagerty, Rick Scott, Tim Sheehy and Jim Justice, all known advocates for blockchain innovation. He also engaged in deliberations with members of the House Financial Services Committee and White House advisers, according to a news release issued on Friday. "Pakistan is not waiting to catch up; we are here to lead," Bilal remarked. "From Capitol Hill to the White House, I shared a new face of Pakistan: one driven by youth, innovation and global partnerships." The talks focused on Pakistan's recent initiatives, including plans for the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, a virtual asset regulatory framework and stablecoin adoption to streamline remittances. With $36 billion in annual remittances and a booming freelance sector, Pakistan aims to become a hub for responsible digital finance. "We came to learn, listen and contribute," Bilal added. "Our goal is to adopt the best global ideas for Pakistan's unique needs." The crypto minister's visit signals Pakistan's push to shape the digital economy alongside major players, leveraging its young population and tech potential. In a meeting with US President Donald Trump's Council of Advisers on Digital Assets Executive Director Robert Bo Hines at the White House earlier this week, the state minister discussed the strategic alignment of digital assets, bitcoin integration and the future of decentralised infrastructure. Both sides expressed shared interest in fostering collaboration between the US and Pakistan on digital asset innovation, regulatory coherence and emerging financial technologies. They also deliberated on ways to support innovation ecosystems that empower youth and accelerate economic inclusion through blockchain. Bo Hines leads policy development on digital asset innovation, regulation and emerging financial technologies.
Express Tribune
05-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Pakistan is establishing ‘Strategic Bitcoin Reserve,' says PM's aide on crypto
Minister of State for Crypto, Blockchain and CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council Bilal Bin Saqib. PHOTO: BILAL SAQIB WEBSITE Listen to article Prime Minister's Special Assistant on Crypto and Blockchain and CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council, Bilal bin Saqib, said on Thursday that Pakistan is making important strides in the crypto domain in which India is lacking traction. Bilal further stated that Pakistan is not only experimenting with cryptocurrency but has entered the field with full commitment. With the government's support, a 'Strategic Bitcoin Reserve' is being established, he added. What makes the situation even more interesting is that Pakistan created its reserve just three months after the United States announced a similar initiative, Bilal said. In contrast, India is still merely making promises about discussions on crypto. Read more: Pakistan, US explore ways for digital asset innovation Bilal added that India has been talking about releasing a 'Crypto Policy Paper' for several years, and its latest promise is for June 2025. 'That date is approaching with each passing day, but in reality, it never seems to arrive,' he said, describing the situation as resembling 'a form of satirical poetry.' Bilal said that Pakistan, once considered a laggard in the tech world, is now dreaming of leading the innovation journey. 'The country is undergoing a process of rebirth and is now ready to establish a new identity on the global stage,' he added.
India.com
04-06-2025
- Business
- India.com
Meet Bilal bin Saqib, who is given responsibility to make Pakistan 'king' of bitcoin, his net worth is Rs ..
Meet Bilal bin Saqib, who is given responsibility to make Pakistan 'king' of bitcoin, his net worth is Rs .. Pakistan took a big step last week and created their first government 'Strategic Bitcoin Reserve'. This means that Pakistan is now looking at Bitcoin cryptocurrency as an asset. Their aim is to attract investments from around the world. They want to show that they are serious about digital assets. The announcement came when Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif appointed 34-year-old Bilal Bin Saqib as his special assistant. Bilal Bin Saqib is the CEO of Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) and has been given the status of a Minister of State. This means that the government is giving him a lot of importance in matters of crypto. What does Bilal do? Bilal bin Saqib is the co-founder of an organization named Tayaba. This organization works to solve the water problem in Pakistan. According to Forbes, their famous product is the 'H2O Wheel'. This is a wheel with which people can easily carry up to 40 liters of water. This helps women and children in rural areas a lot in fetching water. Tayaba has distributed more than 5500 wheels in Pakistan. He is the founder of 'Web3 Pakistan'. It is Pakistan's first and largest blockchain community. He has helped organize major blockchain events such as ETHBarcelona. He has also given speeches at the World Economic Forum and NFT NYC. Studied from London Bilal Bin Saqib has a degree in innovation and entrepreneurship from the London School of Economics. He is also on the advisory board of Queen Mary University of London. Before joining blockchain in 2017, he worked as an international strategy consultant for 10 years. He mostly helped UK companies expand into Asia and Africa. Featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 In the year 2023, Bilal was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) by King Charles. He received this honor for doing relief work through the 'One Million Meals' initiative during COVID-19 in the UK. He has also been included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. This list is of those youth who have done good work in the society. What will be Bilal's work? Bilal Bin Saqib has been given many responsibilities. He has to create a framework for digital assets as per FATF rules. FATF is an organization that looks after whether money is being misused or not. He has to start national bitcoin mining projects. Bitcoin mining means creating bitcoins . He has to incorporate blockchain technology in finance, land records and government work. He also has to license Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs). VASPs are companies that provide services related to crypto. He also has to promote the Web3 ecosystem. Web3 is a new form of internet in which blockchain technology is used. What is the net worth? Bilal, born in July 1990, has a good amount of wealth. Although not much is known about his wealth, according to media reports, his net worth is said to be $2.42 million (about Rs 20.68 crore). He is also the CEO of UK's best digital marketing agency BBS & Co.
Business Recorder
30-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Bitcoin Vegas in US: Pakistan unveils first govt-led Bitcoin reserve
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Crypto & Blockchain Bilal Bin Saqib on Thursday announced Strategic Bitcoin Reserve at Bitcoin Vegas 2025. In front of an elite audience that included the Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, Eric Trump, and Donald Trump Jr., Bilal Bin Saqib, Pakistan's Minister for Crypto & Blockchain and CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council, delivered a commanding keynote at Bitcoin Vegas 2025, unveiling the country's first government-led Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and with it, a radically new vision of Pakistan on the global map. Bilal's message was bold: Pakistan is no longer defined by its past. It is being reborn as a forward-looking hub of digital innovation powered by its youth, sharpened by necessity, and led by a new generation of tech statesmen. I'm not just here as a minister, Bilal said. I'm here as the voice of a generation a generation that is online, on-chain, and unstoppable. At just 34 years old, Bilal Bin Saqib has become the leading voice of a new Pakistan one with over 40 million crypto wallets, a median age of 23, and one of the largest and most active freelancer economies in the world. While other leaders talk about potential, Bilal is unlocking it with bold national moves that put Pakistan at the centre of the global crypto conversation. In his keynote, Bilal announced the establishment of a national Bitcoin wallet, holding digital assets already in state custody not for sale or speculation, but as a sovereign reserve signalling long-term belief in decentralised finance. He also thanked President Donald Trump for his role as a peacemaker in the recent India-Pakistan conflict and for his commitment to crypto adoption. He also revealed that the Government of Pakistan has allocated 2,000 megawatts of surplus electricity in Phase 1 for Bitcoin mining and AI data centres, opening doors to sovereign miners, tech firms, and clean energy partners around the world. To harness this momentum, Bilal is also leading the creation of the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA), a regulatory body designed to empower builders, protect investors, and formalise digital finance frameworks for the future. 'Both Pakistan and Bitcoin have suffered from bad PR.' Bilal declared. But if you look past the headlines, you'll see something else: talent, resilience, and vision. His speech was not only a historic moment for Pakistan, but a call to global builders: If you're building something real come build it in Pakistan. Come build wallets for the unbanked. Come tokenize land. Come scale your mission with our youth and our unstoppable grit. As global eyes turned to Las Vegas, Bilal Bin Saqib delivered more than a keynote. He delivered a blueprint for the future of emerging markets in Web3 one that positions Pakistan as a tech-forward, youth-powered and opportunity-rich nation ready to lead. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Time of India
29-05-2025
- Time of India
Fake drugs case: FIR against all 25 cops of UP thana
Representative image BUDAUN: An FIR has been registered against all 25 police personnel, including SHO and members of Special Operations Group, posted at Binawar police station here for allegedly framing five men in a fake narcotics case and detaining them illegally in July 2024. The court order to file the FIR followed a plea that said Mohd Mukhtyar, Bilal, Ajit, Ashraf and Tarnveer were arrested on July 28 last year. "They were detained for two days before being falsely shown as arrested with opium under NDPS Act. All five were sent to jail and remained in custody for a month," their advocate said. Their advocate Mohammad Tasleem Gazi said, "We filed an application under BNSS section 175 in the court of CJM Budaun Mohd Tauseef Raza. We submitted CCTV footage showing that the accused were picked up from their homes on July 27. But the general diary mentioned July 30 as the arrest date, and the FIR was registered on July 31 under NDPS sections. The cops confined my clients illegally in the thana." The CJM also directed a probe. In a similar incident in Agra, a local court in June 2023 acquitted Ankit Gupta, a 37-year-old salesman who had been falsely accused of possessing 74.9 kg of marijuana. He was arrested in 2021, and spent eight months in jail before being granted bail. Gupta had told TOI that police had demanded a bribe and fabricated the case when he refused.
