Pakistan's Grand Leap into the Digital Gold Rush: 2000 MW for Bitcoin Farming
WRITTEN BY:SANA TAHIR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST NEWSTHURST & INVESTIGATIVE SITES Pakistan , a nation grappling with persistent economic challenges and a surplus of electricity generation capacity, is embarking on an ambitious and potentially transformative venture : dedicating 2000 megawatts (MW) of electricity to Bitcoin mining and AI data centers. This strategic move, spearheaded by the newly formed Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) and endorsed by the Ministry of Finance, signals a significant shift in the country's approach to digital assets, aiming to leverage innovation for economic upliftment . The Strategic Gambit: Turning Surplus Energy into Digital Assets Pakistan has long faced an energy paradox: substantial installed power generation capacity often goes underutilized, leading to financial liabilities through capacity payments to power producers. By channeling 2000 MW of this excess electricity into energy-intensive Bitcoin mining and AI ...