At the GSMA M360 Eurasia summit in Tashkent, Aamir Ibrahim, CEO of Jazz, redefined what it means to “scale smart” in today’s digital age—especially for emerging economies like Pakistan.
“In Pakistan, a phone can manage solar output, deliver heatwave alerts, and power a woman’s first digital wallet. That’s not just smart tech—it’s smart scale,” he said.
🌍 From Coverage to Connection: Building Real-World Impact
Speaking during the “Scaling Smart: Eco-Efficiency Across Billions of Connected Devices” panel, Ibrahim urged telecom leaders to look beyond speed and coverage and focus on:
- ✅ Digital inclusion
- 🌱 Climate resilience
- 🤝 Real-world impact
In Pakistan, where energy crises, climate volatility, and economic inequality converge, a smartphone isn’t a luxury—it’s a lifeline.
🔁 Convergence of Connectivity, Finance, and Climate Resilience
Ibrahim highlighted how a single device can:
- 🚜 Help farmers receive weather alerts
- 👩💼 Empower women through mobile banking
- ☀️ Allow households to track solar power generation
“Pakistan isn’t just digitizing—it’s adapting.”
☀️ Pakistan: A Grassroots Solar Superpower
Pakistan ranked 5th on the Global Climate Risk Index, yet it imported 17GW of solar panels in 2024, making it the third-largest solar importer globally.
This movement wasn’t driven by policy, Ibrahim said—it was led by everyday citizens leveraging mobile tech to secure their energy futures.
📉 Bridging Gaps: Affordability and Access
Despite progress:
- 📵 Smartphones still cost more than 50% of a low-income user’s monthly income
- 📡 14% of the population is still on outdated 2G/3G networks
- 👩💻 However, Pakistan led South Asia in closing the mobile internet gender gap, with connected women rising from 33% to 45% in one year
“These aren’t just numbers—they’re stories of transformation,” said Ibrahim.
🛠️ Jazz’s ServiceCo Vision: Connecting Lives, Not Just Devices
Jazz is transitioning into a platform-based digital services company, focusing on impact at scale:
- 🔁 Sunset 3G to promote efficient 4G networks
- 🚨 Partnered with NDMA for mobile-powered early warning systems
- 🌿 Joined the CORE Alliance to reduce e-waste and promote device reuse
“Smart isn’t about specs. It’s about significance,” Ibrahim concluded.
“The future won’t be built by pushing more tech—it will be built by connecting more people to income, health, and safety.”
