Apple has taken its clearest step yet toward a formal presence in Pakistan, appointing Salman Dar as the company’s first-ever Head of Government Affairs for the country — a dedicated liaison role between Apple and Pakistani regulators at a moment when Islamabad is actively courting major global tech manufacturers.
What the Role Actually Involves
Dar announced the appointment himself on LinkedIn, saying he’ll lead Apple’s government affairs activities in Pakistan and support the company’s engagement with regulatory authorities, policymakers, and other key stakeholders. According to one report, Dar will operate remotely from Dubai in this position, effective September 2026 — meaning the role doesn’t yet represent Apple opening a physical office inside Pakistan, but does mark the company’s first dedicated, named point of contact for Pakistani government engagement.
Who Salman Dar Is
Dar brings a genuinely deep bench of relevant experience to the role. He holds an MSc in Computer Science from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, and an MBA in IT Management from International Islamic University, Islamabad. His most recent executive role was as CEO of ITROOS, a technology firm he co-founded in 2014 and led for roughly nine years, until August 2026. Earlier in his career, he spent close to a decade at British American Tobacco across roles in Pakistan, London, Southampton, and Africa, including as Regional Head of Business Information for Africa and the Middle East.
Perhaps most relevant to this new role, Dar has been actively involved with the Pakistan IT Industry Association (P@SHA), serving on its Central Executive Committee and multiple committees focused on policy, government relations, governance, skills, and membership — giving him existing, embedded relationships within Pakistan’s technology policy community rather than starting from scratch.
Why Pakistan Wants Apple Here
This appointment lands squarely within Pakistan’s broader push to attract major global technology companies to establish device manufacturing and assembly operations in the country. According to reporting, efforts are specifically underway to encourage Apple to begin local iPhone production, with the government working to improve the regulatory environment and address existing investment barriers that have kept Apple from setting up shop domestically so far.
This isn’t happening in isolation — Pakistan’s tech-investment push has picked up momentum recently. US Consul General in Lahore, Stetson Sanders, has separately expressed hope that Apple would establish an office in Pakistan, following Google’s own decision to establish a presence in the country — a signal officials are likely hoping Apple will follow.
What This Appointment Does and Doesn’t Mean
| What’s Confirmed | What’s Still Uncertain |
|---|---|
| Apple now has a dedicated government affairs lead for Pakistan | No confirmed timeline for physical retail presence or manufacturing |
| Dar will support engagement with regulators and policymakers | No confirmed local iPhone assembly or production commitment |
| Role is described as operating remotely from Dubai | No announced Apple office location within Pakistan |
It’s worth being clear-eyed about the scale of this news: appointing a government affairs representative is a genuine, meaningful signal of serious interest — companies don’t typically make this kind of hire without real intent to deepen engagement — but it’s a step that precedes, not confirms, an actual retail launch or manufacturing commitment. Apple has taken similar government-engagement steps in other markets well before any formal entry was finalized.
The Bigger Picture: Pakistan’s Tech Investment Push
This development is part of a broader current push within Pakistan’s tech policy landscape — including plans for the Islamabad IT Park to be operated by a private-sector company, aimed at providing modern infrastructure for local and international technology firms, and a federally approved 90-day Cyber Security Strategic Action Plan. Taken together, these moves suggest Pakistan is trying to build out both the physical infrastructure and regulatory relationships needed to make itself a more attractive destination for major tech investment, with Apple’s engagement seen as one of the more high-profile prizes in that effort.
Final Thoughts
Apple appointing a dedicated Pakistan government affairs head is a real, concrete signal of growing interest — not a confirmed retail or manufacturing announcement. With Salman Dar’s deep P@SHA and Pakistani tech-policy background now formally representing Apple’s interests, the coming months of regulatory engagement will likely determine whether this appointment turns into an actual Apple presence in Pakistan, or remains one step in a longer, still-uncertain process.
