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Karachi, May 06, 2026 –: BankIslami and its digital banking platform- aik, partnered with Paklaunch for the 8th edition of its flagship event, UNConference ‘26. The two-day summit gathered a select group of founders, investors, and policymakers to discuss the trajectory of Pakistan’s startup ecosystem, with a particular focus on Fintech, artificial intelligence, and digital investment trends.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Rizwan Ata, President and CEO of BankIslami, highlighted the momentum of Pakistan’s booming tech ecosystem and the urgent need to support digital adoption across the financial sector.
“Pakistan’s tech ecosystem is at a crossroads where digital adoption is the only path to mass-scale expansion,” he stated. “In 2025, we launched aik as Pakistan’s first Islamic digital banking platform to bridge our mission of promoting Shariah-compliant finance with modern technology for the masses. Sustainable growth and scale do not happen in isolation; they are fuelled by technology-driven innovation.”
Aly Fahd, Founder of Paklaunch, reflected on the significance of the partnership and the event’s mission to drive high-value connections.
“At Paklaunch, our focus has always been on building meaningful bridges between Pakistan’s entrepreneurial talent and global capital, expertise, and opportunity. Partnerships like this with BankIslami and aik reflect a shared commitment to enabling founders with the right financial infrastructure and digital tools they need to scale”.
One of the event’s highlights was the ‘Digital Platforms & Innovation’ panel discussion, which hosted key entrepreneurs to discuss the evolving role of technology in scaling local businesses. During this session, Ashfaque Ahmed, Chief Officer of aik, addressed the practical shift toward digital-native financial services as a means to empower the next generation of founders.
“Our focus at aik is to move beyond traditional banking hurdles by creating a digital-first journey that mirrors the speed and agility of the start-ups we serve,” Ashfaque said. “The goal is to simplify user experience so that ethical, Shariah-compliant banking becomes a seamless tool for growth, effectively reaching underserved segments of the population.”
The event served as a powerful reminder that the maturity of the start-up ecosystem depends on integrating inclusive financial tools and fostering ongoing cooperation between traditional financial institutions and tech-driven platforms.
