Yaseen Khan Mohmand

Learned how to create a Multimodel RAG system, Leveraging BridgeTower Embeddings, UMAP, and LLaVA to create a cutting-edge video search and retrieval system.

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It’s always inspiring to meet young entrepreneurs who not only have the ambition to scale their tech startups but are also deeply committed to making a meaningful impact and driving change in Pakistan—especially in the field of AI. This morning, I had the pleasure of connecting with two such dynamic founders: Hadi R Tabani and Asad Gabol. • Hadi Tabani has been involved in several tech ventures (Liquid Technologies) as both an investor and founder. He is particularly passionate about aligning the government on Pakistan’s AI roadmap and is actively leading FPCCI’s efforts on national AI policy, ensuring we are not left behind in the most transformative technological revolution of our times. • Asad Gabol, scion of a notable political family from Karachi, is the co-founder of moveit, a fast-growing logistics startup offering innovative solutions for office and household relocations, and just like Insta World is part of the Orbit Startups family. Over breakfast, we discussed the challenges and opportunities in the tech and AI sectors, both within Pakistan and globally. One key takeaway was the urgent need for more meaningful government contributions to support AI’s growth, moving beyond outdated concepts like IT parks. Instead, the focus should shift to: • LPUs/GPUs-enabled data centers to power advanced AI development. • Access to high-speed internet for seamless connectivity. • Mass-scale AI training programs for IT graduates, in collaboration with leading global companies. • Digitization of critical data across healthcare, education, and government sectors. These foundational steps could unlock remarkable growth and opportunities, positioning Pakistan as a serious player in the global AI space. I left the breakfast feeling energized by their passion and vision. It’s always a pleasure to meet like-minded people who genuinely believe in using tech to solve real problems and create lasting impact. Excited to see where their journey takes them!

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Selection in Cricket is largely poor across the world, but no one does it worse than the Pakistan Cricket Board. From Talent Evaluation to Game Modeling, the deterioration of the Pakistan Cricket Mind is a reminder that Vile Corruption, Sycophancy, and the Garrison Mentality can never breed sustainable success or the intellectual architecture required to thrive. Apart from Vile Corruption and Gross Incompetence here are Pakistan’s Problems. 1. Selecting Players Not Building a Team 2. Talent Evaluation 3. Roster Construction 4. Lineup Construction 5. Game Modeling It’s important to note that no Cricket Board, Franchise Team, or Domestic Team can do justice to these important subjects under heavy political or military interference. #Pakistan #Cricket International Cricket Council

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The ongoing disruptions in Pakistan's digital connectivity are not just setbacks, they are critical threats to our professionals and our global image. In today’s world, reliable internet is the backbone of economic growth, especially for tech and remote work sectors. To ensure Pakistan remains competitive and trustworthy on the international stage, we must urgently establish a resilient, politics-free digital infrastructure...

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Happy 2025, folks! In Q4, Pakistani startups raised $26.5M in funding via 6 deals, which is an increase from what was reported in earlier quarters (in Q1 there were 0 deals reported, for eg!). This brought the total amount reported in 2024 to $42.5M via 12 deals, less than 2023 ($74M via 38 deals) and significantly less than 2022 ($355M via 58 deals). However, this 2024 amount does not include the recent funding announcements by quick-commerce startup Krave Mart (YC S22), which raised from global ride-hailing giant inDrive's venture arm, or agriculture tech play Farmdar, which raised from Moment Ventures & Indus Valley Partners, since both amounts were not disclosed. The Insights team at Invest2Innovate (i2i) recently released the 2024 Pakistan Startup Ecosystem Report (link in comments), and here are a few of my takeaways from that as well as from these EOY numbers (also by the i2i team): 1. We can get fixated on funding numbers, and feel discouraged on what is a seeming downward trend. I don't deny that it's been a difficult two years for the startup landscape -- but it's also important to understand the context BEYOND the numbers -- deal sizes are on average smaller than the 2021-2022 bubble, and that is *not* a bad thing; Pakistani startups can do a lot with a lot less $, frankly. 2. M&A activity is continuing in the startup ecosystem -- obviously, the most notable exit story in 2024 was the acquisition of fintech SadaPay by Turkish fintech player Papara, but local M&A activity is also occurring and is notable (for eg Abhi (YC S21)'s acquisition of FINCA Microfinance Bank Ltd, Pakistan). In an environment of scarcity, consolidation will continue to occur in 2025, and to me, this is a positive signal of a maturing ecosystem. In 2025, if our macros continue to improve, I think we'll also see other global/regional players looking outside into Pakistan, looking to merge or acquire local players versus enter the market themselves. 3. Fintech, as a sector, had the lion's share of funding in 2024, with players like Abhi (YC S21), Qist Bazaar, Neem, PostEx & KalPay announcing rounds. The growth of the fintech sector is a good signal for the market as a whole, BUT as these companies grow, the need for affordable debt is and will be important/vital. We've seen players like Abhi figure out solutions (aka raising via a Sukuk), but debt/working capital for startups in ALL sectors continues to be a major pain point in the startup ecosystem. 4. While there has been some movement in the policy space in Pakistan, regulatory and infrastructure issues (especially those disrupting internet connectivity) continue to act as a ceiling on the Pakistan startup space and commerce as a whole. If we want to see a digital Pakistan, we have to create space for that to thrive. It's that simple. There are many other bright spots as we move into this year, which you can read in the report shared in the comments. Happy New Year!

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Connecting Startups with CIA! Not just investments, Pakistani startups need early customers to validate the idea and reach Product Market Fit. They need micro-investment from local businessmen to help them with experiments. And they need advisors on board from the industry to share their insights and guide them. My vision to start Cash Cow Show is focused on enabling Customers, Investors and Advisors (CIA). If you are willing to invest, we welcome you to the show. Just DM for interest. Syed Azfar Hussain Athar Khan National Incubation Center Karachi Katalyst Labs Ahmad Junaid afeef rashid

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Had a great time delivering an introductory session on AI, ML, and DL with Umair Pirzada.Thanks to everyone who joined and made it so interactive! ❣ #AI #ML #DL #DataScience #Opportunity #TechEducation

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🌟 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐫𝐝𝐮 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 🌟 I'm excited to share my recent project on Urdu speech-to-text technology! 🎉 In this project, I developed an 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐀𝐒𝐑) system tailored for Urdu, leveraging the power of OpenAI's Whisper model. After fine-tuning it on the PRUS 𝐔𝐫𝐝𝐮 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐭, the model achieved a remarkable Word Error Rate (𝐖𝐄𝐑) 𝐨𝐟 𝟒.𝟑% on the testing dataset. While the testing results are exceptional, real-world performance still needs to be explored. Key Features of the Project: 🔹 Fine-tuned state-of-the-art transformer-based models. 🔹 Addressed challenges like dataset scarcity and alignment issues. 🔹 Achieved exceptional accuracy with efficient preprocessing and training strategies. This work highlights the potential of transformer-based models in bridging gaps in low-resource language processing. With applications in accessibility, education, and digital communication, such advancements can make technology more inclusive for Urdu-speaking communities. 🎥 Check out the video attached to see the project in action! I look forward to further exploring this domain and welcome your feedback or insights. Together, let's advance linguistic inclusivity in AI! #SpeechRecognition #UrduLanguage #AI #Transformers #InclusiveAI #MachineLearning #DeepLearning #Accessibility #LanguageProcessing #ArtificialIntelligence #LowResourceLanguages #WhisperModel #SpeechToText

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#Google and #Pakistan take a big step towards improving education in the country 💻📚 As part of Agay Barho: A Google for Pakistan Event, Google announced it has partnered with Pakistan's Ministry of Education on a groundbreaking initiative focusing on giving children the tools they need to learn and grow. They have committed to providing 500,000 Chromebooks to schools throughout Pakistan, teaming up with Allied Corporation to ensure these devices are assembled locally by 2025. Pakistan has lots of potential in the #IT space - “Pakistan's IT services exports have grown by 2.7 times since 2014, reaching 35% of all service-sector exports in 2023”. Latest reports hint towards this potential - "In order to harness Pakistan’s #digital export potential, the report highlights a strong need for investing in digital skills #training and #education for the workforce to ensure competitiveness and readiness to participate in the digital economy. Narrowing the digital skills gap through digital skills training and greater adoption of education technologies can add Rs2.8 trillion to Pakistan’s #GDP in 2030". Hope this has the intended effect!

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I was honored to talk about Cloud Computing & Gen AI in the context of Startups in Pakistan, at National Television . (link in the comments)

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Pakistan is an example of a Cricket Team that does almost everything wrong but luck into a Trophy once every decade. I use the word luck because when Pakistan does experience success, they are unable to duplicate that success. Why is Pakistan unable to duplicate success? Apart from the Structural and Governance Issues, Pakistan has never figured out two things. One, Pakistan has never figured out Performance Analysis. They don’t know why they win, and they don’t know why they lose. Two, Pakistan like many other teams experiments in the hope of achieving favorable outcomes. If they luck into a favorable outcome, they normally ride the wave of that success. At no point do they try to understand what is happening and why. Finally, Pakistan has never understood the difference between Selection and Team Building. At any given time they may pick their best 11 or best 15, but they never methodically build and develop a team. That’s why someone like Saim Ayub who should be a core player for Pakistan is destined to have a stop start career. It is why Azam Khan looks a million bucks in the best leagues in the world only to look out of his depth in International Cricket. It’s why Pakistan has never established a Backup or a Backup Plan for Shadab Khan. Pakistan may go on to win the World Cup in the Americas, but it won’t be because of methodical planning, strategy, or team building. Just Dumb Luck!!!

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In Pakistan’s burgeoning startup ecosystem, there’s a noticeable trend: many startups prioritize rapid feature deployment over robust architectural foundations, emphasize immediate revenue generation over sustainable system development, and focus on return on investment rather than cultivating loyal customer bases. This approach, often driven by investor expectations and a desire for swift growth, can lead to scalability challenges and compromise user experiences. A McKinsey report highlights that Pakistani startups have predominantly concentrated on sectors like e-commerce and fintech, aiming for quick market penetration. However, this rapid expansion sometimes overlooks the importance of building scalable and resilient systems, which are crucial for long-term success. Furthermore, the fsintech sector’s emphasis on “finance” over “technology” underscores this imbalance. While financial innovation is essential, integrating advanced technological solutions is equally critical to ensure security, efficiency, and user satisfaction. The World Bank emphasizes that the ongoing digitization of financial services offers opportunities to build more inclusive and efficient financial systems, but this requires a balanced focus on both financial and technological aspects. To foster sustainable growth, it’s imperative for startups to balance immediate financial goals with the development of robust technological infrastructures and a commitment to customer retention. This holistic approach not only ensures scalability but also builds trust and loyalty among users, paving the way for enduring success in the competitive startup landscape. #startups #fintech #growth #finance #entrepreneurship #technology #investment

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As a fledgling startup that’s been up and running for just 5-6 months, we’re already facing significant hurdles due to Pakistan’s ongoing internet issues. For us, reliable connectivity isn’t just a convenience—it’s a necessity for our success. Missed Deadlines: Our team depends on a stable internet connection to meet deadlines and deliver on client projects. With frequent disruptions, we're struggling to keep up, risking client dissatisfaction and hampering our growth. Communication Issues: Slow internet speeds make it challenging to respond swiftly to emails and messages, which can harm client relationships and affect our professional image. Access Difficulties: Essential platforms like Upwork, LinkedIn, and Fiverr are increasingly hard to use, limiting our ability to find new projects and expand our client base. In essence, these connectivity problems are more than a minor inconvenience—they're threatening our startup’s ability to thrive. Addressing these issues is crucial for us to sustain our operations and continue building our business. . . . . #StartupStruggles #InternetIssues #FreelancingChallenges #StartupLife #PakistanTech #ConnectivityProblems #BusinessGrowth #TechHurdles #FreelancerLife

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The startup ecosystem in Pakistan is still evolving. You can literally count names of the people driving it on finger tips, especially after some big exits that we saw in the last few months/years. Very few have endured. Umair Shahzad and I connected a few years ago. I remember us discussing startups, the pace, the challenges and its future for almost an hour when we first spoke. Not everyone is cut out for this environment. It can drain you to the point of no return. But it also gives you the adrenaline rush that makes you do big things. This man has been doing such incredible work in this space, and has helped so many teams across so many niches scale. Love how he and his team at ‘Dil Ka Rishta’ have taken such a big pain point of matrimony, especially in a society like ours, and are literally revolutionising the landscape. More power to you guys! Make it big 👊 Make it a unicorn 🦄 P.S. Next up on Sync Corner: Ep 5 - ‘Startups Turned Unicorns’. Stay Tuned

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Unacceptable Experience with Onic Pakistan - A Cautionary Tale for All! On November 16, 2024, I ported my primary mobile number from Jazz to Onic after purchasing their much-advertised EPIC Plan. I was excited to try their services, but little did I know what awaited me. As soon as my number was activated, I received a message stating that my plan's resources were expiring in 1 minute, and indeed, they expired within that minute. Surprised and concerned, I immediately contacted Onic Pakistan customer care via email. Since then, I’ve exchanged several emails with their team, but the issue remains unresolved to this day. This number is my primary number, and having no resources is severely impacting my daily communication and responsibilities. If Onic cannot resolve such a basic issue at the very start of a customer relationship, how can I trust them with long-term service quality? I expected better, but my very first experience with Onic has been nothing short of disappointing. If this is how they treat new customers, I urge everyone to think twice before considering Onic Pakistan for their telecommunications needs. If this issue is not resolved soon, I will have no choice but to consider other options for reliable and professional telecom services. To my connections and the general audience: Refrain from investing your hard-earned money in Onic Pakistan if they cannot offer the quality they promise. This experience has left me questioning their commitment to customer satisfaction. I hope this post encourages Onic Pakistan to take responsibility and fix their service quality. #Telecommunications #OnicPakistan #TelecomIndustry #CustomerExperience #PortingNumber #PoorService #TelecomPakistan #DigitalPakistan #ConnectivityIssues #JazzToOnic #EPICFail #TelecomOperators #CustomerCareFail #ConsumerRights #TelecomDisaster #BadCustomerService #PakistaniTelecom #OnicCustomer #DigitalServices #TelecomComplaints #4GService #BroadbandIssues #UnreliableService #MobilePorting #PakistanTelecomIndustry #TelecomProviders #BadExperience #CustomerFirst #TelecomProblems #MobileServices #TelecomReforms #DataConnectivity #PakistaniUsers #OnicResources #TelecomFrustration #PakistanUsers #UnacceptableService #PakistaniTelecomComplaints #DataPlanFail #TelecomConcerns #OnicFeedback #SwitchingService #TelecomTransparency #PortingProblems #OnicFail #TelecomSuffering #OnicResourcesExpired #PakistanTelecomSector Telenor Zong CMPak Ltd Ufone 4G Onic Pakistan Jazz

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🌍 Challenges in Pakistan's Tech Industry: A Call for Change 🇵🇰 The tech industry in Pakistan has grown exponentially in recent years, yet it faces significant challenges that are impacting both companies and employees. Here's a closer look at the hurdles and how they affect the workforce: The Challenges: 1. Economic Instability: With fluctuating currency rates and rising inflation, tech companies struggle to maintain budgets and offer competitive salaries, leading to layoffs and stalled projects. 2. Brain Drain: Talented developers are seeking opportunities abroad due to a lack of local incentives, growth opportunities, and challenging work environments. 3. Policy Uncertainty: Inconsistent government policies and limited support for IT exports make it hard for startups and established firms to scale. 4. Infrastructure Gaps: Limited access to cutting-edge technology, reliable internet, and power outages hinder productivity and innovation. How Employees Are Suffering: - Job Insecurity: Layoffs and project cancellations have left many skilled professionals unemployed. - Overwork Without Compensation: Employees often face increased workloads without proportional pay due to cost-cutting measures. - Lack of Growth Opportunities: With fewer projects and international collaborations, many developers feel stuck in roles that offer little professional development. - Mental Health Struggles: Economic pressure and job insecurity are taking a toll on mental wellbeing. What Can Be Done? - Government Support: Clear policies, tax breaks, and incentives for IT exports can create a conducive environment for growth. - Industry Collaboration: Partnerships between startups and established companies can drive innovation and generate jobs. - Employee Wellbeing: Companies should prioritize mental health resources, fair compensation, and skill development. - Focus on Freelancing: Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork offer untapped opportunities for developers to thrive despite local challenges. Let’s raise awareness and work together to create a resilient tech ecosystem in Pakistan! 🌟 What are your thoughts? Share your experiences and ideas in the comments below! #TechIndustry #Pakistan #Challenges #Growth #EmployeeWellbeing #TechLeadership

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