KARACHI: The Pakistan Freelancers Association (PAFLA) has announced the appointment of Dr. Imran Batada as President and CEO of the non-governmental organization (NGO), a national-level platform for facilitation, empowerment, and welfare of freelancers and digital workers across Pakistan.

As President of PAFLA, Dr. Batada will continue contributing to the organization’s strategic direction by strengthening national and international partnerships, guiding freelancer enablement programs, and supporting PAFLA’s vision of becoming a globally recognized platform for Pakistani freelancers.

Chairman of the Pakistan Freelancers Association (PAFLA) Amin Ibrahim said that freelancers in Pakistan have made exceptional contributions to the economy in recent years by bringing valuable foreign exchange into the country despite numerous challenges, including electricity loadshedding and slow internet.

Considering Pakistan’s large youth population and rising unemployment, the country needs to equip its younger generation with emerging in-demand and soft skills to increase the participation of Pakistani digital workers in the global labour market, he added.

Amin Ibrahim expressed hope that the new leadership at PAFLA would further strengthen Pakistan’s freelancing ecosystem and launch several new initiatives in collaboration with various partners and educational institutions.

Dr. Batada brings extensive experience from both academia and industry, with expertise in leading capacity-building initiatives, professional training programs, and research and development projects.

He is a seasoned leader with more than 24 years of experience in organizational strategy, policy development, digital innovation, and research excellence. Currently, he is serving as the Chief Digital Officer and Director of the Center of Information and Technology at Institute of Business Management (IoBM). He previously served as CIO and Director of the Center for ICT at Institute of Business Administration (IBA Karachi).

In addition to his academic and professional contributions, Dr. Batada has directly trained more than 25,000 students nationwide and has actively participated in several federal and provincial government initiatives focused on digital skills development and economic inclusion.

His expertise and leadership in technology have earned him numerous accolades, including the World CIO 200 Awards (Legend) by the Global CIO Forum from 2020 to 2025, as well as the Living Legend Excellence Award by the Ideal Excellence Awards in 2018.

Dr. Imran Batada expressed his commitment to working closely with industry stakeholders, policymakers, training institutions, and the freelancer community to build a stronger digital economy ecosystem in Pakistan.

“I look forward to working together with all stakeholders to create a favorable ecosystem for freelancers and digital workers in Pakistan, enabling them to compete globally and contribute significantly to the country’s economic growth,” Dr. Batada said.