Bilal Bin Saqib was appointed Pakistan’s Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Blockchain and Crypto on 26 May 2025, with the status of Minister of State. The appointment took effect immediately. It was a past appointment: Dawn later reported that he left the post effective 21 August 2025.
What the appointment established
A Cabinet Division notification dated 26 May 2025 appointed Saqib as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Blockchain and Crypto, with the status of Minister of State and immediate effect. The notification cited rule 4(6) of the Rules of Business, 1973, read with Schedule V-A. The Cabinet Division notification establishes his office, subject area, status and start date.
At the time, Dawn identified Saqib as CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council. The official title used “Blockchain and Crypto”; Saqib described it as “Blockchain and Cryptocurrency” in a LinkedIn post announcing his appointment.
What the role was expected to cover
Dawn reported that the remit included developing a digital-asset regulatory framework described as FATF-compliant, potential Bitcoin mining initiatives, blockchain integration in governance, finance and land records, licensing and oversight of virtual asset service providers (VASPs), investor protection, and Web3 ecosystem development. These were reported responsibilities and ambitions, not evidence that the appointment itself enacted rules or delivered those programs. Dawn’s contemporaneous report provides the portfolio context; the Cabinet Division notice does not list these duties.
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Appointment timeline and current status
- 25 February 2025: Dawn reported that the Finance Ministry had announced it was considering a National Crypto Council.
- 26 May 2025: The Cabinet Division appointed Saqib SAPM on Blockchain and Crypto with Minister of State status, effective immediately.
- 21 August 2025: Dawn later reported that Saqib’s resignation had been accepted effective on this date. Its report was published on 2 December 2025; the date here is attributed to Dawn, rather than to a reviewed primary resignation notice. Dawn’s December report covers his departure.
- As of 8 October 2026: Saqib’s personal biography identifies him as chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) and lists the SAPM role as prior service. This is how he presents his current position on his own website, not a substitute for a government appointment record. His biography gives that description.
How to read the crypto figures reported with the appointment
Dawn’s May 2025 coverage attributed estimates of 40 million crypto users and more than $300 billion in annual crypto trading volume to the government announcement. The reviewed material does not independently validate either figure, so they should be understood as claims attributed to that announcement, not audited measurements. The announcement also referred to Pakistan ranking among the top 10 countries for crypto adoption in Chainalysis’s 2023 index; the reviewed source does not provide a precise rank or the underlying methodology.
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