Is Pakistan’s Digital Media Platform ‘Nukta’ Heading Towards a Full Stop?

Less than a year after bursting onto the scene with promises to reinvent digital journalism, Nukta has quietly trimmed 37 jobs from its Pakistan operations. Officially, it’s a “restructuring.” Unofficially, it looks a lot like what happens when the budget math stops adding up.

Launched in November 2024 with its headquarters in Dubai, Nukta came in hot. Big team, big names, and even bigger talk about becoming Pakistan’s next major digital media success story. With senior journalist Kamran Khan leading the charge, the platform vowed to bring high quality, data driven news to online audiences while relying on digital ads and YouTube revenue to keep the lights on.

Fast forward to 2025, and reality has clearly entered the chat. Suddenly, that “digital first revolution” looks a bit more like an Excel sheet full of red numbers. In its official statement, Nukta said the layoffs were part of a “strategic restructuring for long term sustainability,” which is corporate code for “we had to cut costs.” The company thanked the departing employees and optimistically mentioned it might hire them back once the next growth phase begins, you know, whenever that is.

Meanwhile, Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar swooped in with a bit of damage control, announcing that the government would help place the affected journalists in public sector roles.

For now, Nukta continues to operate with a smaller team and a quieter tone. Once hyped as the future of Pakistani digital media, the platform’s reality check serves as a reminder that ambition and buzzwords don’t always pay the bills. The venture says it remains committed to delivering “independent journalism,” though it might have to do so with fewer hands on deck and a smaller coffee budget.