Apple Strengthens Engagement With Pakistan After Appointing Government Affairs Head
Apple has appointed Salman Dar as its head of government affairs for Pakistan, a move that could strengthen the company’s engagement with Pakistani regulators, policymakers and other key stakeholders.
Dar announced his new role on LinkedIn, saying he would oversee Apple’s government affairs activities in Pakistan and work with regulatory authorities, policymakers and other stakeholders.
Apple-Pakistan Engagement Gains Attention
The appointment comes as Pakistan seeks to attract leading global technology companies and encourage greater investment in the country’s technology and manufacturing sectors.
Government officials have been working to improve the regulatory environment and address investment-related challenges in an effort to encourage international companies to establish manufacturing and assembly operations in Pakistan.
Apple is among the major technology companies that Pakistan hopes to attract for local device manufacturing.
Government Seeks Local iPhone Production
The chief executive officer of Pakistan’s Engineering Development Board (EDB) recently told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology that 37 companies were manufacturing mobile phones in Pakistan.
According to the EDB official, these companies had produced more than 35 million devices locally.
He said Apple was the only major smartphone company yet to begin local manufacturing and added that efforts were continuing to encourage the company to establish operations in Pakistan.
The official also said the prime minister was expected to meet Apple’s chief executive during a planned visit to the United States.
Salman Dar Brings Extensive Experience
Salman Dar brings more than three decades of experience in information technology, entrepreneurship and business development.
His professional experience spans several regions, including Europe, South Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
His appointment is expected to provide Apple with a dedicated government affairs presence in Pakistan as discussions around investment, regulation and potential local manufacturing continue.
While the appointment does not itself confirm plans for local iPhone production, it represents a notable development in Apple’s engagement with Pakistan’s government and regulatory authorities.
