ISLAMABAD — Pakistani satellite television network ARY Digital has signed a term sheet to acquire a 25 percent stake in Create, a Pakistan-based financial platform for the creative economy, in a move aimed at building a structured ecosystem for the country’s creative industry, according to a joint statement.
Pakistan’s creative industry ranks among the nation’s most prominent cultural exports, yet credit practices across the market remain inconsistent and structured financing remains out of reach for much of the sector. The partnership is seen as a step toward more organized financial services, offering clearer records, verified work, and reliable routes to capital.
Under the deal, ARY’s production houses and associated talent will gain access to Create’s funding. The platform will also be open to production houses across Pakistan, as well as influencers, digital content creators, and advertising agencies, with the goal of building a shared financial ecosystem for the wider industry over time.
“For more than two decades, ARY has built platforms that give Pakistan’s artists and creators a stage, and we have always believed that our people are the true strength of this industry. Yet the creative community has not received the financial support and recognition that other industries enjoy,” said Salman Iqbal, CEO of ARY Group, which owns ARY Digital, according to the joint statement.
“Our partnership with Create is a step toward changing that, giving production houses, artists, and creators across the country the backing they need to grow. We see this as a long-term investment in the future of Pakistan’s creative economy.”
Create connects creative work, invoicing, payments, and financing in a single workflow. The platform verifies approved work and builds a transaction history around it, allowing eligible businesses and professionals to access financing through its licensed financing partners.
“As a creator myself, I have experienced the workflow and payment challenges that exist across this industry firsthand. Create was built to solve for exactly these realities. Our partnership with ARY is an important validation of both the problem and the need for a structured solution, while giving us a tangible way to begin addressing it at scale,” said Momina Sibtain, founder of Create.
Fatin Gondal, founding investor at Create, said making access to capital simpler and easier for underserved businesses has been at the core of what they have been building.
“With Create, it felt like a natural next step to take that same ethos and extend it to the creator and entertainment industry,” Gondal said.
Jerjees Seja, CEO of ARY Digital Network, said the company is continuing its efforts to strengthen the ecosystem around the artists and creators who make the industry what it is.
“Through Create, we are working to give production houses, talent, influencers, and creators the financial support to grow their work and build better lives,” he added.
