PayPal will start paying freelancers in Pakistan in February.

Dr. Umar Saif, the Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, has announced a pilot project that will enable payments via PayPal for approximately 10,000 freelancers. The project is expected to go live in February, which is a big step forward for the freelancing community in Pakistan.

The announcement was made in connection with the launch of E-Rozgar Centers throughout Pakistan at the Tech Destination Pakistan event. To be clear, PayPal is not setting up shop in Pakistan; instead, a deal has been made to facilitate remittances through PayPal through a third party.

This new program streamlines the way freelancers get paid by removing the need for them to open PayPal accounts. This not only makes the process easier, but it also encourages and supports entrepreneurship in Pakistan, which is in line with the larger objective of developing a robust freelance ecosystem in that nation.