Quantum Global Data Center (QGDC), a venture of Gul Ahmed Energy Group, has announced plans to develop Pakistan’s largest Tier III data center with an initial investment of $230 million, marking a major push into the country’s digital infrastructure sector.
The project is expected to become operational in 2027. The investment could expand significantly to as much as $600 million over the next three to four years.
Strategic Partnership with Huawei Pakistan
The announcement coincided with the signing of a strategic partnership agreement between QGDC and Huawei Pakistan during the Q Summit in Karachi.
According to the official statement, the collaboration will support the development of Pakistan’s largest Tier III data center alongside a science and technology park aimed at strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure and innovation ecosystem.
The partnership agreement was signed by QGDC Chief Operating Officer Ubaid Amanullah and Huawei Pakistan CEO AI & Cloud Business Ahmed Bilal Masud.
Building a Tier III Digital Backbone
The planned facility is designed as a highly resilient, secure, and scalable infrastructure hub capable of supporting cloud computing, artificial intelligence workloads, high-performance computing, digital finance, e-government services, and other emerging technologies.
The initiative aims to improve local data hosting capacity, enhance data sovereignty, and accelerate digital adoption across both public and private sectors.
“The collaboration will support the development of Pakistan’s largest Tier III Data Center alongside a state-of-the-art science and technology park, strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure and innovation ecosystem,” the statement read.
AI and Compute Demand to Surge
Speaking at the Q Summit, QGDC Chairman Danish Iqbal highlighted the urgency of investing in computing infrastructure as AI adoption grows in Pakistan.
He said that although Pakistan remains in the early stages of AI adoption, the country is already spending between $700 million and $800 million annually on related services, warning that demand for compute capacity will rise sharply.
“Right now, with this minimal AI, we haven’t even started,” he said. “For our economies to grow, we need to go to very high AI compute. And that compute, without data centers, we will not be able to do.”
He further cautioned that Pakistan risks becoming heavily dependent on foreign computing infrastructure if domestic capacity is not developed.
“We are at that stage that if we don’t take this chance right now, we will miss this boat,” Iqbal said. “And this will be a very costly boat, which we will not be able to build.”
Huawei Highlights Digital Transformation Potential
Representing Huawei Pakistan, Ahmed Bilal Masud emphasized the importance of strong digital foundations for AI-driven growth.
“Pakistan stands at the threshold of a new digital era, and this partnership reflects our belief that AI innovation requires strong digital foundations.
“When modern data centers, high-performance computing, secure cloud platforms, and trusted digital infrastructure come together, they unlock new opportunities for businesses, governments, and society.
“We are proud to work alongside QGDC in supporting the development of Pakistan’s largest Tier III Data Center and advancing the country’s digital transformation journey.”
Government Support and Digital Ecosystem Development
The summit also featured remarks from Sindh IT Minister Ali Rashid, who reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the Karachi Technopolis and QGDC–Huawei initiative.
He said these projects would help establish a core digital ecosystem in Karachi and position Pakistan as a growing hub for advanced technology and data infrastructure.
The minister emphasized that future economic growth will be driven by data and IT, assuring continued government support for the initiative.
Expanding Digital Infrastructure and Cloud Demand
The partnership comes amid rising demand for cloud services, AI applications, and digital public infrastructure across Pakistan. Industry speakers at the summit noted that investment in data centers could have a significant multiplier effect on economic growth, enabling greater digitalization across healthcare, education, finance, and government services.
Last month, QGDC and Huawei Pakistan also signed a Memorandum of Understanding and design agreement for collaboration on the data center project, focusing on technical planning and infrastructure development aligned with international standards.