Malik Abbas
Chief Executive Officer
Founder of CoinConnect. Leading Pakistan's first dedicated blockchain market entry law firm with strategic vision and deep regulatory relationships across PVARA, SECP, and FBR.
The People Behind CoinConnect
Pakistan's Leading Blockchain Law Firm
29+ legal professionals, compliance officers, and regulatory specialists dedicated to guiding global crypto exchanges, VASPs, and Web3 innovators through Pakistan's licensing landscape. From PVARA applications to SECP incorporation and FBR compliance — our team has done it all.
29+
Legal Professionals
Team 14+
Years Max Experience
100%
FATF-Aligned
Executive Leadership
Muhammad Rabi
Legal Head
Oversees all legal strategy and client advisory functions. Ensures every licensing application and regulatory submission meets the highest standards of Pakistani corporate and financial law.
Tariq Mirza
Chief Operating Officer
LL.B. from LUMS; LL.M. in Corporate Governance from King's College London. Former Senior Associate at a leading Karachi law firm with 12 years managing legal operations and corporate restructuring for financial institutions. Advocate of the Sindh High Court.
Bilal Kardar
Chief Compliance Officer
LL.B. from University of the Punjab; certified CAMS and CFCP. 10 years as in-house compliance counsel at multinational banks in Lahore, designing AML/CFT frameworks aligned with FATF standards. Expert in digital asset transaction monitoring and regulatory examination preparedness.
Senior Directors
Tahir Mehmood Chaudhry
Director of Regulatory Liaison
LL.B. from University of the Punjab; LL.M. in Regulatory Law from SOAS, University of London. 14 years navigating Pakistan's financial regulatory architecture, including a secondment to a federal ministry's financial sector policy unit where he contributed to early drafts of virtual asset supervisory frameworks. Intimately familiar with SECP's internal review protocols and SBP's institutional compliance hierarchies. Known among peers for resolving regulatory bottlenecks before they reach formal objection stages.
Shazia Akhtar
Banking Integration Director
LL.B. from University of Karachi; MBA in Banking & Finance from IBA. 11 years in institutional banking compliance, including five years as senior legal counsel at one of Pakistan's largest commercial banks where she structured correspondent banking protocols and institutional onboarding frameworks. Deeply familiar with the SBP's VASP account circular implementation at the operational level. Has advised multiple banks on tailoring their KYC/AML matrices for virtual asset clients.
Asif Kamal Sheikh
National AML Strategy Director
LL.B. from Quaid-e-Azam University; ACAMS and CFCP certified. 13 years in financial crime compliance, including an advisory assignment with the Financial Monitoring Unit where he contributed to the design of goAML reporting workflows for non-bank financial institutions. Architected the AML/CFT compliance infrastructure for three of Pakistan's largest payment system operators. His risk assessment frameworks have been adopted as baseline standards by multiple regulatory sandboxes.
Hassan Qureshi
Corporate Structuring Counsel
LL.B. from LUMS; Advocate of the Sindh High Court. 9 years specializing in complex entity formations under the Companies Act 2017, with particular expertise in non-banking finance companies and special purpose vehicles for foreign investors. Has handled precedential cases requiring SECP dispensations and sector-specific licensing pre-conditions. His entity structures for fintech entrants are frequently cited as models in regulatory filing guides.
Sadia Zaidi
Regulatory Documentation Lead
LL.B. from International Islamic University Islamabad; Masters in Urdu Linguistics from University of the Punjab. 8 years bridging statutory English and regulatory Urdu for financial services filings. Drafted bilingual compliance manuals adopted by regulatory bodies as reference templates. Expert in evidentiary documentation standards required by Pakistani administrative tribunals. Her regulatory submissions are noted for requiring minimal revision during review cycles.
Legal Counsel
Fatima Noor
Senior Legal Counsel — International VASP Law
LL.B. from Quaid-e-Azam University; LL.M. in International Financial Law from LSE. 8 years advising fintech and crypto exchanges on VASP licensing across UAE, EU, and APAC jurisdictions. Fluent in structuring MiCA and VARA-compliant market entry strategies for Pakistani-origin firms abroad.
Maisum Ali
Senior Legal Counsel — Domestic Regulatory Affairs
LL.B. from University of Karachi; enrolled as Advocate High Court. 11 years practicing banking and securities law in Islamabad with extensive SECP and SBP liaison experience. Former legal advisor to a major non-banking finance company on digital lending regulations.
Zara Ahmed
Senior Legal Counsel — Enforcement & Appeals
LL.B. from International Islamic University Islamabad; LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center. 9 years in litigation and appellate practice before SECP tribunals and the Islamabad High Court. Specialist in defending regulatory enforcement actions and license revocation appeals.
Hamza Iqbal
Associate Legal Counsel
LL.B. from LUMS. 4 years at an Islamabad corporate law firm drafting licensing agreements and terms of service for payment service providers. Experience with SECP eServices portal and NBFC registration procedures.
Rabia Qureshi
Associate Legal Counsel
LL.B. from University of the Punjab; LL.M. in Technology Law from University of Melbourne. 5 years advising blockchain startups on data protection, cross-border regulatory compliance, and tokenization frameworks. Published researcher on South Asian DeFi governance.
Licensing Department
Sana Khalid
Licensing Director
LL.B. from LUMS; LL.M. from University College London. 10 years as Deputy Director at a regulatory consultancy advising on SBP, SECP, and PTA licensing. Personally led over 35 successful NBFC, EMI, and payment system operator license applications.
Tariq Mehmood
Senior Licensing Analyst
LL.B. from University of Karachi. 6 years in regulatory consulting, specializing in preparing VASP risk assessment frameworks, compliance manuals, and fit-and-proper test documentation for Asian and African markets.
Nadia Hussain
Licensing Analyst
LL.B. from Quaid-e-Azam University. 3 years at an Islamabad policy think tank focused on digital finance regulation, blockchain governance, and central bank digital currency policy research in South Asia.
Compliance & Regulatory Policy
Faisal Rehman
AML/CFT Compliance Manager
LL.B. from Punjab University; ACAMS certified. 8 years as Senior AML Investigator at a major Pakistani commercial bank. Designed transaction monitoring protocols for correspondent banking and remittance relationships, now adapted for virtual asset service providers.
Mehwish Tariq Awan
Regulatory Policy Advisor
LL.B. from University of Balochistan; Masters in Public Policy from LSE. 7 years drafting provincial and federal financial regulatory guidelines. Expert in translating FATF Recommendation 15 and travel rule requirements into locally enforceable PVARA frameworks.
Due Diligence
Danish Ali
Due Diligence Lead
LL.B. from University of Karachi; former prosecutor in the Sindh prosecution service. 9 years in corporate investigations, forensic due diligence, and sanctions screening. Specializes in unraveling complex beneficial ownership structures and shell company networks.
Hina Shahbaz Gillani
Senior Due Diligence Analyst
LL.B. from International Islamic University. 5 years conducting enhanced due diligence and source-of-funds verification for a Big Four advisory practice in Pakistan, with a focus on fintech, remittance, and emerging virtual asset clients.
Paralegals
Usman Javed
Paralegal Supervisor
Bachelor of Laws from University of Peshawar. 7 years as senior paralegal at a commercial law firm in Lahore managing document review, due diligence indexing, and licensing application bundles for M&A and financial services clients.
Ali Raza
Paralegal
LL.B. from University of Sindh; recently enrolled as Advocate Lower Court. 2 years assisting in corporate due diligence, beneficial ownership charting, and regulatory filing preparation for exchange and wallet licensing applications.
Mariam Javed
Paralegal
BA-LL.B. from Kinnaird College for Women. 3 years at a Lahore legal consultancy handling case management, client intake, and precedent research for banking and fintech licensing matters. Expert in legal citation and SECP compliance checklist preparation.
Technical & Business Development
Imran Saeed
Blockchain Technical Analyst
BS Computer Science from FAST NUCES; LL.B. from University of London (International Programme). 4 years as smart contract auditor and technical consultant for DeFi protocols. Bridges the gap between legal licensing requirements and on-chain technical implementation.
Saba Karim
Business Development Director
LL.B. from University of Karachi; MBA from IBA Karachi. 8 years in legal business development and strategic partnerships for professional services firms across South Asia and GCC markets. Specialist in VASP market entry strategy and regulatory roadmap consulting sales.
Khalid Anwar
VASP Relationship Manager
LL.B. from Punjab University. 6 years as Client Relationship Executive at a Lahore-based corporate advisory managing portfolios of exchange, wallet, and DeFi protocol clients seeking regulatory clarity in emerging jurisdictions.
Operations
Samina Faisal
Operations Manager
MBA from LUMS. 7 years in operations management at top-tier legal and consulting firms. Ensures workflow optimization, deadline tracking, and resource allocation between legal, compliance, and licensing teams during high-volume application periods.
Farhan Bukhari
Administrative Coordinator
BBA from Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar. 3 years in administrative coordination for professional services organizations. Manages scheduling, board meeting logistics, and document archiving for the licensing committee.
Work With Pakistan's Top Blockchain Lawyers
Our team has collectively handled 35+ license applications, advised global exchanges, and shaped Pakistan's virtual asset regulatory framework. Whether you need PVARA licensing, SECP registration, or full market entry — we have the expertise.
Free consultation • No obligations • Response within 24 hours
The People Behind CoinConnect
Pakistan's Leading Blockchain Law Firm
29+ legal professionals, compliance officers, and regulatory specialists dedicated to guiding global crypto exchanges, VASPs, and Web3 innovators through Pakistan's licensing landscape. From PVARA applications to SECP incorporation and FBR compliance — our team has done it all.
29+
Legal Professionals
Team 14+
Years Max Experience
100%
FATF-Aligned
Executive Leadership
Malik Abbas
Chief Executive Officer
Founder of CoinConnect. Leading Pakistan's first dedicated blockchain market entry law firm with strategic vision and deep regulatory relationships across PVARA, SECP, and FBR.
Muhammad Rabi
Legal Head
Oversees all legal strategy and client advisory functions. Ensures every licensing application and regulatory submission meets the highest standards of Pakistani corporate and financial law.
Tariq Mirza
Chief Operating Officer
LL.B. from LUMS; LL.M. in Corporate Governance from King's College London. Former Senior Associate at a leading Karachi law firm with 12 years managing legal operations and corporate restructuring for financial institutions. Advocate of the Sindh High Court.
Bilal Kardar
Chief Compliance Officer
LL.B. from University of the Punjab; certified CAMS and CFCP. 10 years as in-house compliance counsel at multinational banks in Lahore, designing AML/CFT frameworks aligned with FATF standards. Expert in digital asset transaction monitoring and regulatory examination preparedness.
Senior Directors
Tahir Mehmood Chaudhry
Director of Regulatory Liaison
LL.B. from University of the Punjab; LL.M. in Regulatory Law from SOAS, University of London. 14 years navigating Pakistan's financial regulatory architecture, including a secondment to a federal ministry's financial sector policy unit where he contributed to early drafts of virtual asset supervisory frameworks. Intimately familiar with SECP's internal review protocols and SBP's institutional compliance hierarchies. Known among peers for resolving regulatory bottlenecks before they reach formal objection stages.
Shazia Akhtar
Banking Integration Director
LL.B. from University of Karachi; MBA in Banking & Finance from IBA. 11 years in institutional banking compliance, including five years as senior legal counsel at one of Pakistan's largest commercial banks where she structured correspondent banking protocols and institutional onboarding frameworks. Deeply familiar with the SBP's VASP account circular implementation at the operational level. Has advised multiple banks on tailoring their KYC/AML matrices for virtual asset clients.
Asif Kamal Sheikh
National AML Strategy Director
LL.B. from Quaid-e-Azam University; ACAMS and CFCP certified. 13 years in financial crime compliance, including an advisory assignment with the Financial Monitoring Unit where he contributed to the design of goAML reporting workflows for non-bank financial institutions. Architected the AML/CFT compliance infrastructure for three of Pakistan's largest payment system operators. His risk assessment frameworks have been adopted as baseline standards by multiple regulatory sandboxes.
Hassan Qureshi
Corporate Structuring Counsel
LL.B. from LUMS; Advocate of the Sindh High Court. 9 years specializing in complex entity formations under the Companies Act 2017, with particular expertise in non-banking finance companies and special purpose vehicles for foreign investors. Has handled precedential cases requiring SECP dispensations and sector-specific licensing pre-conditions. His entity structures for fintech entrants are frequently cited as models in regulatory filing guides.
Sadia Zaidi
Regulatory Documentation Lead
LL.B. from International Islamic University Islamabad; Masters in Urdu Linguistics from University of the Punjab. 8 years bridging statutory English and regulatory Urdu for financial services filings. Drafted bilingual compliance manuals adopted by regulatory bodies as reference templates. Expert in evidentiary documentation standards required by Pakistani administrative tribunals. Her regulatory submissions are noted for requiring minimal revision during review cycles.
Legal Counsel
Fatima Noor
Senior Legal Counsel — International VASP Law
LL.B. from Quaid-e-Azam University; LL.M. in International Financial Law from LSE. 8 years advising fintech and crypto exchanges on VASP licensing across UAE, EU, and APAC jurisdictions. Fluent in structuring MiCA and VARA-compliant market entry strategies for Pakistani-origin firms abroad.
Maisum Ali
Senior Legal Counsel — Domestic Regulatory Affairs
LL.B. from University of Karachi; enrolled as Advocate High Court. 11 years practicing banking and securities law in Islamabad with extensive SECP and SBP liaison experience. Former legal advisor to a major non-banking finance company on digital lending regulations.
Zara Ahmed
Senior Legal Counsel — Enforcement & Appeals
LL.B. from International Islamic University Islamabad; LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center. 9 years in litigation and appellate practice before SECP tribunals and the Islamabad High Court. Specialist in defending regulatory enforcement actions and license revocation appeals.
Hamza Iqbal
Associate Legal Counsel
LL.B. from LUMS. 4 years at an Islamabad corporate law firm drafting licensing agreements and terms of service for payment service providers. Experience with SECP eServices portal and NBFC registration procedures.
Rabia Qureshi
Associate Legal Counsel
LL.B. from University of the Punjab; LL.M. in Technology Law from University of Melbourne. 5 years advising blockchain startups on data protection, cross-border regulatory compliance, and tokenization frameworks. Published researcher on South Asian DeFi governance.
Licensing Department
Sana Khalid
Licensing Director
LL.B. from LUMS; LL.M. from University College London. 10 years as Deputy Director at a regulatory consultancy advising on SBP, SECP, and PTA licensing. Personally led over 35 successful NBFC, EMI, and payment system operator license applications.
Tariq Mehmood
Senior Licensing Analyst
LL.B. from University of Karachi. 6 years in regulatory consulting, specializing in preparing VASP risk assessment frameworks, compliance manuals, and fit-and-proper test documentation for Asian and African markets.
Nadia Hussain
Licensing Analyst
LL.B. from Quaid-e-Azam University. 3 years at an Islamabad policy think tank focused on digital finance regulation, blockchain governance, and central bank digital currency policy research in South Asia.
Compliance & Regulatory Policy
Faisal Rehman
AML/CFT Compliance Manager
LL.B. from Punjab University; ACAMS certified. 8 years as Senior AML Investigator at a major Pakistani commercial bank. Designed transaction monitoring protocols for correspondent banking and remittance relationships, now adapted for virtual asset service providers.
Mehwish Tariq Awan
Regulatory Policy Advisor
LL.B. from University of Balochistan; Masters in Public Policy from LSE. 7 years drafting provincial and federal financial regulatory guidelines. Expert in translating FATF Recommendation 15 and travel rule requirements into locally enforceable PVARA frameworks.
Due Diligence
Danish Ali
Due Diligence Lead
LL.B. from University of Karachi; former prosecutor in the Sindh prosecution service. 9 years in corporate investigations, forensic due diligence, and sanctions screening. Specializes in unraveling complex beneficial ownership structures and shell company networks.
Hina Shahbaz Gillani
Senior Due Diligence Analyst
LL.B. from International Islamic University. 5 years conducting enhanced due diligence and source-of-funds verification for a Big Four advisory practice in Pakistan, with a focus on fintech, remittance, and emerging virtual asset clients.
Paralegals
Usman Javed
Paralegal Supervisor
Bachelor of Laws from University of Peshawar. 7 years as senior paralegal at a commercial law firm in Lahore managing document review, due diligence indexing, and licensing application bundles for M&A and financial services clients.
Ali Raza
Paralegal
LL.B. from University of Sindh; recently enrolled as Advocate Lower Court. 2 years assisting in corporate due diligence, beneficial ownership charting, and regulatory filing preparation for exchange and wallet licensing applications.
Mariam Javed
Paralegal
BA-LL.B. from Kinnaird College for Women. 3 years at a Lahore legal consultancy handling case management, client intake, and precedent research for banking and fintech licensing matters. Expert in legal citation and SECP compliance checklist preparation.
Technical & Business Development
Imran Saeed
Blockchain Technical Analyst
BS Computer Science from FAST NUCES; LL.B. from University of London (International Programme). 4 years as smart contract auditor and technical consultant for DeFi protocols. Bridges the gap between legal licensing requirements and on-chain technical implementation.
Saba Karim
Business Development Director
LL.B. from University of Karachi; MBA from IBA Karachi. 8 years in legal business development and strategic partnerships for professional services firms across South Asia and GCC markets. Specialist in VASP market entry strategy and regulatory roadmap consulting sales.
Khalid Anwar
VASP Relationship Manager
LL.B. from Punjab University. 6 years as Client Relationship Executive at a Lahore-based corporate advisory managing portfolios of exchange, wallet, and DeFi protocol clients seeking regulatory clarity in emerging jurisdictions.
Operations
Samina Faisal
Operations Manager
MBA from LUMS. 7 years in operations management at top-tier legal and consulting firms. Ensures workflow optimization, deadline tracking, and resource allocation between legal, compliance, and licensing teams during high-volume application periods.
Farhan Bukhari
Administrative Coordinator
BBA from Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar. 3 years in administrative coordination for professional services organizations. Manages scheduling, board meeting logistics, and document archiving for the licensing committee.
Work With Pakistan's Top Blockchain Lawyers
Our team has collectively handled 35+ license applications, advised global exchanges, and shaped Pakistan's virtual asset regulatory framework. Whether you need PVARA licensing, SECP registration, or full market entry — we have the expertise.
Free consultation • No obligations • Response within 24 hours