KARACHI: The top official of a leading Pakistani fintech told a summit in Dubai on Friday financial platforms offered by companies like his could boost remittances to the country, making these transfers more affordable and remotely accessible while making the platforms pivotal for millions of local households.

JazzCash, a mobile wallet and branchless banking service provided by a major telecom operator in Pakistan, was originally launched as “MobiCash” in 2012 before it was rebranded four years later.

Earlier this week, it announced a partnership with the United Arab Emirates-based financial service provider, du Pay, for smooth cross-border payments, saying the collaboration, powered by Western Union, would allow Pakistani nationals to send money directly to JazzCash mobile wallets.

According to a statement issued by the company, the JazzCash head, Murtaza Ali, spoke about the financial inclusion provided by fintech organizations while discussing their impact on the country’s economic landscape.

“Detached from traditional limitations like bank branches and agent networks, digital remittances can reach even remote, low-income households, empowering them to participate in the formal financial system,” he told the participants of the Dubai summit.

The Gulf nation hosts a vast Pakistani expatriate community and holds the distinction of being the second-largest contributor of remittances to Pakistan after Saudi Arabia, with $548 million transferred to the South Asian country in March.

Ali also revealed that women constituted 30 percent of JazzCash customers, 17 percent of lending users, 23,000 merchants and 6,000 agents.

“These encouraging numbers reflect the company’s ongoing commitment to enhancing female participation in its services,” he added.

The statement informed he also praised Pakistan’s central bank, telecom authority and financial regulatory agency for their collaborative approach that propelled digital and financial inclusion across the country.

“With a large unbanked population and a cash-dependent SME [small and medium enterprise] sector, we anticipate exponential growth,” it quoted Ali as saying. “Our roadmap involves leveraging data for risk assessment, venturing into Insurtech, and further integrating financial services into everyday transactions.”

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi on Friday dismissed concerns about unity within the national cricket team ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup, saying there was no discord within the squad where every player was focusing on winning the big tournament next month.

Afridi was appointed as the T20I captain after Babar Azam announced his decision to step down following the team’s underperformance in last year’s Asia Cup, hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka, as well as the ODI World Cup played in India. However, his tenure was brief and ended in March 2024, following Pakistan’s 4-1 defeat in the T20I series against New Zealand.

Azam was brought back to lead the national team, but the leadership change was surrounded by contentious statements that triggered a debate about the lack of solidarity within the team.

“If there are ever small misunderstandings, these happen in every family,” he said during his appearance on the Pakistan Cricket Board’s podcast focusing on his career and the team’s ongoing dynamics. “And when there are brothers, they also sometimes have disagreements over little things. But thankfully, there is nothing like that in this team.”

“Our effort is always to play with unity,” he continued. “This is not the time where there can be argument or discord. This is a time when everyone has to be involved in one process, moving together with unity toward achieving the same goal.”

Afridi said he had fully recovered from his injury last year.

He maintained it was the team’s “job to play cricket and bring joy to our nation.”

“We are also tired of telling people that we will win the World Cup,” he said with a smile. “But God willing, this time we will make this happen.”