By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Crypto and Blockchain Bilal Bin Saqib met with over a dozen key US government officials and lawmakers this week in Washington to strengthen cooperation in the are-as of digital assets, blockchain regulation and financial innovation.
The SAPM met with Senator Cynthia Lummis, co-author of the Lummis-Gillibrand Responsible Financial Innovation Act and co-sponsor of the Bitcoin Act, which seeks to designate Bitcoin as a strategic re-serve asset. Senator Lummis has been a leading advocate for thoughtful and comprehensive crypto legislation in the US. He also met with Senator Bill Hagerty, a member of the Senate Banking Committee and supporter of a pro-innovation regulatory environment, and with Senator Rick Scott, who has consistently emphasised economic security and financial stability.
Additionally, he also met with senators Tim Sheehy and Jim Justice, the latter also a co-sponsor of the Bitcoin Act and a strong supporter of blockchain applications in government and infrastructure.
Meetings also included Senator Ted Cruz, Congressman Troy Downing, a member of the House Finan-cial Services Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Congressman Ryan Zinke, Congressman Rick McCormick, and Congressman Derrick Van Orden — all of whom are actively engaged in shaping policy frameworks related to emerging technologies.
Jill Kelley, founder of blockchain identity platform EdentifID, participated in discussions alongside Con-gressman McCormick, bringing perspectives from the private tech sector.
He also met with White House Associate Counsel Kevin Cline and Associate Counsel Ugonna Eze of the White House Counsel’s Office.
“We came to learn, to listen, and to contribute,” said Bilal bin Saqib. “Pakistan is actively studying how global leaders are approaching regulation, innovation, and financial inclusion — not to copy, but to adapt the best ideas for our unique landscape.”
The visit also served to share Pakistan’s initiatives — including the recent announcement of its Strate-gic Bitcoin Reserve, efforts to build a virtual asset regulatory framework, and the use of stablecoins to improve remittances and expand financial access.
The exchanges highlighted the need for closer global coordination and the role emerging markets like Pakistan can play in shaping the next chapter of the digital economy.
“To sit at the table with those writing the future of finance is a responsibility and a signal: Pakistan is not waiting to catch up — we are here to lead,” said Saqib. “From Capitol Hill to the White House, I shared a new face of Pakistan — one driven by its youth, powered by innovation, and ready to build global alliances for digital progress.”
With one of the world’s youngest populations, a thriving freelance economy, and over $36 billion in annual remittances, Pakistan is uniquely positioned to become a testbed for responsible innovation, grounded in transparency, accessibility, and long-term impact.
Furthermore, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has asked the Pakistani government for an ex-planation regarding the allocation of 2,000 megawatts of electricity for Bitcoin mining and AI data cen-tres without consulting the IMF.
IMF officials plan to discuss the issue with the government in a virtual meeting and questioned how the allocation was made without clarifying the legal status of cryptocurrency.
The IMF emphasised that decisions should be made within the framework of its programme after mu-tual consultation.
The government is expected to face tough questions during talks on the new fiscal budget, with both sides agreeing to hold virtual consultations.
