Islamabad: The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) has set a target to establish 47 new co-working centers across Pakistan during the current financial year to support freelancers and startups as part of its broader effort to strengthen the country’s digital economy.
According to officials, the initiative falls under the National Co-working Spaces Project (NCSP) — a recently rebranded version of the earlier e-Rozgar Centers Project. The renaming was carried out to avoid confusion with the Punjab government’s separate e-Rozgar initiative and to reflect the project’s expanded national scope.
Officials explained that, unlike the provincial program, the NCSP operates under a public-private partnership model. In this arrangement, the government will bear half the cost of hiring professional trainers, while the private sector will share the remaining expense. These trainers will mentor freelancers and entrepreneurs, fostering collaboration among individuals with diverse skills and promoting innovation-led entrepreneurship.
The project aims to create shared innovation hubs across major and secondary cities, where freelancers, startups, and small businesses can access affordable workspaces, training, and networking opportunities. Each center is designed to function as a hub for skill development, business mentorship, and industry linkage, enabling participants to overcome early-stage operational challenges.
Officials said that in larger cities, the co-working spaces will span at least 3,500 square feet and accommodate a minimum of 100 seats to cater to growing demand from established professionals. In smaller cities, the focus will be on building digital awareness, developing technical and business skills, and supporting startups toward sustainability.
The Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), which is implementing the project, has already completed the establishment of 40 co-working centers nationwide in the previous fiscal year. The long-term plan envisions expanding this network to 250 centers by February 2027 under a phased strategy to promote inclusion, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
As part of the implementation framework, the PSEB has invited applications from public and private entities to establish NCSP centers under the Prime Minister’s Initiatives for IT Startups, Specialized IT Trainings, and Venture Capital. Eligible applicants can seek interest-free loans of up to Rs10 million through partner banks. All applications must be submitted electronically via the EPADS portal by November 3, 2025.
Officials noted that the initiative is a key step toward realizing Pakistan’s goal of becoming a regional digital hub, creating new opportunities for freelancers, startups, and small enterprises to thrive in a collaborative environment.
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