Daraz.pk Collaboration Aims to Revolutionize Semiconductor Research in Pakistan
Pakistan is set to make silicon wafers directly available through Daraz.pk, the country’s largest e-commerce platform and an Alibaba Group subsidiary, aiming to reduce procurement costs by an astonishing 90%. This groundbreaking initiative seeks to dismantle one of the most significant barriers to local hardware and semiconductor research: the limited and expensive access to essential wafer materials crucial for experimentation and prototyping.
Toor Khan, Founder and CEO of South Asia Semiconductor Pvt. Ltd., confirmed that discussions are underway with several Chinese manufacturers to list wafer products online, drastically cutting shipping costs to as low as USD 2, compared to the USD 40-80 typically charged by international couriers.
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In parallel with this supply chain enhancement, Khan’s company is actively developing Pakistan’s first locally fabricated PMOS transistor, a fundamental component in modern electronics. This project is in its early R&D and prototyping phase, with a working prototype expected within two to three months. The overarching goal is to demonstrate Pakistan’s capability in designing and fabricating its own silicon transistors using indigenous processes and equipment.
The broader vision includes establishing a semiconductor fabrication and training facility within the Islamabad Technology Zone (STZA) to provide students, researchers, and engineers with practical chipmaking experience, with a roadmap to expand into power ICs, MEMS devices, and memory chips.
This effort represents a significant step towards localizing the semiconductor material supply channel, which has long constrained Pakistan’s growing interest in semiconductor design and related research. Researchers currently face burdensome foreign vendor dependencies, lengthy customs procedures, and high transportation costs.
The plan leverages Daraz.pk’s existing Global and Cross-Border Seller Program, allowing Chinese manufacturers like Leze Laser Technology and Chengdu Paralight Optics to list directly, thus minimizing logistics costs by consolidating shipments from China. This approach not only improves access to essential materials but also empowers researchers and startups to prioritize design and innovation over supply chain obstacles, strengthening Pakistan’s hardware innovation ecosystem.
