Apple has appointed Salman Dar as Head of Government Affairs for Pakistan in a significant move that signals the tech giant’s growing engagement with Pakistani regulators policymakers and key stakeholders.
By Imran Malik | Technology & Business Desk | MediaBites.com.pk
One of Pakistan’s most experienced technology leaders has just taken on one of the most significant corporate roles in the country’s tech ecosystem.
Salman Dar has been appointed Head of Government Affairs for Pakistan at Apple, effective September 2026, and will operate remotely from Dubai. In this role, he will lead Apple’s government affairs function in Pakistan, supporting the company’s engagement with regulators, policymakers, and key stakeholders across the country.
The appointment signals Apple’s growing strategic interest in Pakistan, one of South Asia’s largest and most rapidly digitizing markets, and its recognition that meaningful engagement with Pakistan’s regulatory and policy environment requires dedicated senior leadership on the ground.
A Career Built Across Three Decades and Four Continents
Salman Dar brings to Apple a professional biography that spans over 30 years across Europe, South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, making him one of Pakistan’s most globally experienced technology executives.
He holds an MSc in Computer Science from Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, and an MBA in IT Management from International Islamic University, Islamabad, a combination of technical depth and business leadership that has defined his career trajectory.
His most recent executive role was as CEO of ITROOS, a technology firm he co-founded in 2014 and led for over nine years until August 2026. His tenure at ITROOS demonstrated his ability to build and scale technology businesses within Pakistan’s challenging but opportunity-rich environment.
Before ITROOS, Dar spent nearly a decade at British American Tobacco in roles spanning Pakistan, London, Southampton, and Africa, including as Regional Head of Business Information for Africa and the Middle East and Business Engagement Manager for South Asia. His BAT years gave him the international corporate exposure and multicultural leadership experience that distinguishes his profile.
Deep Roots in Pakistan’s Technology Policy Ecosystem
What makes Dar’s Apple appointment particularly significant is not just his corporate experience but also his sustained, deeply embedded engagement with Pakistan’s technology policy community.
He has served on the Pakistan IT Industry Association (P@SHA) Central Executive Committee in multiple capacities since 2020, including as Chair of the Membership Committee and Member of the Policy and Government Relationship Committee, Governance Committee, and HR Committee.
He serves on the Industry-Academia Boards of both Air University and Quaid-e-Azam University, bridging the critical gap between Pakistan’s technology industry and its academic institutions.
He has served as a Non-Executive Director at Seronic, as a Mentor at WorkVibez, and as a Member of the Board of Advisors at AIM Consulting.
He is also the founder of BYOC (Buy Your Own Coffee), a global initiative that reflects his belief in community building and professional networking beyond formal structures.
This ecosystem engagement means Dar arrives at Apple not as an outsider learning Pakistan’s regulatory landscape but as someone who has actively shaped it for years.
What This Means for Pakistan’s Tech Sector
Apple’s decision to appoint a dedicated Head of Government Affairs for Pakistan is a statement of intent. Global technology companies make these appointments when they see regulatory engagement as essential to their market strategy. Apple is signaling that Pakistan’s market, regulators, and policymakers are important enough to warrant a dedicated senior relationship.
For Pakistan’s technology community, Dar’s appointment represents one of the country’s most respected voices in the tech ecosystem, now operating at the intersection of the world’s most valuable company and Pakistan’s government machinery.
Team MediaBites congratulates Salman Dar on this landmark appointment. Apple could not have chosen a more connected, more experienced, or more committed advocate for Pakistan’s technology future.
— Imran Malik | Technology and Business Desk | MediaBites.com.pk | SharjahNews.ae
