Careem
Careem has announced that it will officially suspend its ride-hailing operations in Pakistan starting July 18, 2025, bringing an end to nearly a decade of its transport services in the country.
The announcement was made by Mudassir Sheikha, Careem’s CEO and co-founder, through a heartfelt LinkedIn post titled “a new chapter,” where he explained the reasons behind this “incredibly difficult decision.”
According to Sheikha, macroeconomic instability, escalating competition, and global capital allocation challenges made it increasingly difficult to sustain the investment levels needed to maintain a safe and reliable ride-hailing service in Pakistan. He described the decision as the end of an “iconic chapter” that was defined by “purpose, grit, and relentless hustle.”
Since launching in Pakistan in 2015, Careem has been at the forefront of reshaping urban transportation in the country. It introduced app-based ride-hailing to millions, encouraged women to use ride services more confidently, and normalized digital payment systems in everyday commuting. Careem also empowered countless drivers—referred to as Captains—by offering them employment opportunities in a challenging economic environment.
Sheikha praised his team for building a platform that became deeply integrated into the daily lives of millions of Pakistanis and played a crucial role in creating digital infrastructure and fostering regulatory frameworks that enabled other local and global digital ventures to grow in the country. “They delivered significant public goods: digital infrastructure, trust, regulation, capability, confidence,” he said.
While ride-hailing services will cease to operate, Careem’s journey in Pakistan is not entirely over. Careem Technologies—a spin-off venture focused on developing a multi-service “Everything App”—will continue to operate and expand from Pakistan.
Currently, around 400 employees from various departments, including engineering, are working on food delivery, grocery services, digital payments, and more, with over 100 new roles set to open. The company is also expanding its Falcon/NextGen program, which trains fresh graduates from Pakistani universities to build scalable digital systems.
“Pakistan is in Careem’s DNA—our first line of code was written here,” Sheikha emphasized, reaffirming the country’s continued importance in the company’s innovation journey.
Customers with existing Careem Wallet balances will soon receive guidance on how to reclaim their funds, and the customer care team will remain available until September 18 to handle any pending concerns.
This decision follows Uber’s withdrawal from Pakistan in April 2024, when it announced that its subsidiary, Careem, would continue operations. With Careem now winding down its ride services too, Pakistan’s ride-hailing landscape faces a significant shift. However, Careem’s continued technological presence ensures its legacy in Pakistan is far from over.
