The country’s leading telecommunications and ICT services provider, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), has partnered with ConnectHear, a pioneering Pakistani accessibility technology company, to install SILA, ConnectHear’s AI-powered sign language agent across PTCL’s customer care centers, starting from Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad.
The initiative furthers PTCL’s commitment to creating a more inclusive and accessible customer experience by making its services more accessible to customers of diverse abilities. Through SILA, Deaf customers can communicate their queries and requirements in sign language and engage directly with customer service representatives, without relying on a human interpreter. This builds on ConnectHear’s ongoing work with PTCL to advance accessibility for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.
Commenting on the partnership, Chief Marketing Officer PTCL, Amad Khan said, “Our partnership with ConnectHear has evolved meaningfully over the years, from sensitizing and training our customer-facing teams to leveraging technology to address some of the most important accessibility barriers faced by the Deaf community. We firmly believe that connectivity is meaningful only when it enables everyone to participate. By enhancing equitable accessibility through cutting-edge technologies, we are working to ensure that every customer can engage with us with greater dignity and independence.”
Azima Dhanjee, CEO and Co-founder, ConnectHear, said:
Our partnership with PTCL shows what is possible when organizations opt for sustained technology-driven action. With ConnectHear’s AI-powered sign language agent, we are taking another important step by bringing sign language accessibility directly into the customer service environment. We are proud to work together and contribute towards a Pakistan where accessibility is built into everyday services.
This partnership has already delivered impactful solutions for the Deaf community, including SUNO, an AI-powered early warning system that delivered critical emergency alerts in Pakistani Sign Language through WhatsApp, helping safeguard the Deaf community during natural and man-made disasters. These collaborations stem from PTCL and ConnectHear’s shared belief that technology is one of the greatest equalizers and an effective lever for equitable growth and development.
