Karachi Frames 2026 brought together animation studios, creative professionals, emerging artists and industry experts to celebrate Pakistan’s growing animation and digital creative industry. Held at the NED Auditorium and the Centre of Excellence in Gaming & Animation (CEGA), Karachi, the event highlighted innovation, skills development and opportunities for local talent to compete internationally.
CEGA organised the event with support from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and the Ignite National Technology Fund. HUM Network Limited (HNL) served as the lead management and media partner.
The programme opened with keynote addresses by CEGA representatives and HUM Network leadership, followed by remarks from Guest of Honour Tufail Jokhio, Vice Chancellor of NED University of Engineering and Technology and Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Karachi.
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CEGA Aims to Build a National Animation Ecosystem
Syed Bilal Qasim, Project Director at CEGA, said the organisation aimed to build an ecosystem that would help Pakistan’s animation industry expand beyond conventional training and education.
He said CEGA’s ambition extended beyond training individuals and incubating 200 startups. The initiative aims to create opportunities, encourage innovation and support the long-term development of Pakistan’s creative industry.
Qasim invited artists, entrepreneurs and industry stakeholders to contribute to the initiative and help shape the future of animation in the country.
HUM Network Announces Plans for Animation Channel
Duraid Qureshi, Chief Executive Officer of HUM Network Limited, highlighted the gap between the global animation industry’s estimated value of approximately $350 billion and Pakistan’s contribution, which he placed below $100 million.
He said Pakistan’s large young population and growing consumption of animation, graphics and digital content created significant opportunities for local creators. However, he stressed that the country needed to move beyond consuming international content and focus more on producing original work.
Qureshi said Pakistan had the talent, young workforce and access to technology needed to become a more significant contributor to the global animation and digital creative economy.
He also announced plans to launch a dedicated animation channel under the HUM Network umbrella. The proposed channel will feature original animated content inspired by local characters, everyday life and Pakistan’s cultural heritage.
Sultana Siddiqui Urges Young Artists to Value Opportunities
Sultana Siddiqui, Chairperson of HUM Network Limited, encouraged young people to approach training and creative work with discipline, dedication, honesty and punctuality.
She urged aspiring artists to develop their skills and use animation to tell stories about Pakistan’s scientists, mothers, heroes, culture and traditions.
Siddiqui said creative professionals could help present Pakistan’s identity to international audiences by bringing the country’s stories to life through original content.
Gaming and Animation Offer Economic Opportunities
Tufail Jokhio said Pakistan needed to strengthen export-oriented industries that could generate foreign exchange and contribute to economic growth.
He identified information technology, gaming and animation as sectors with considerable potential to diversify the economy and reduce reliance on taxation and overseas remittances.
Jokhio also stressed that gaming and animation technologies had applications beyond entertainment, including engineering and other technical disciplines. He called for broader exploration of these technologies to develop industries that could make a meaningful contribution to Pakistan’s economy.
Frame Talks Explore the Industry’s Future
A major feature of Karachi Frames 2026 was the Frame Talks series, which brought together established professionals to discuss the animation sector’s current position, challenges and future prospects.
Kamran Khan, Head of Productions – Animation & AI at SOC Films, delivered a session titled The State of Animation: Where Pakistan Stands, examining the local industry and its development potential.
The panel discussion Founders Unfiltered: Building Pakistan’s Animation Industry for the World featured Anas Hussain of MIKU Animation, Mirsub Fazlani of Innovative Pixels and Amyn of Sharp Image. Shehzar Abro of Pirani Productions moderated the discussion, which covered the challenges of establishing studios, securing international projects and building globally competitive creative businesses.
Another session, AI vs. Non-AI: Tool, Threat, or the Future of Animation?, examined artificial intelligence’s growing role in creative production. Industry professionals discussed the technology’s opportunities, challenges and ethical considerations.
Pakistani Studios and Creative Talent Take Centre Stage
The Studio Pulse segment showcased the creative processes and achievements of Pakistani animation studios, including Sharp Image, Innovative Pixels, Pirani Productions and MIKU Animation.
The Framemakers: The Artists Behind the Frame segment highlighted individual artists and their creative journeys, celebrating the talent contributing to Pakistan’s animation landscape.
A separate session, Building Production-Ready Talent Pipelines for International Studios, focused on preparing aspiring animators for global employment. Representatives from Innovative Pixels, Pirani Productions and Beenco Labs shared insights into the professional skills, portfolios and production expertise international studios expect.
Interactive Showcases and Animation Screenings
Beyond the panel discussions, Karachi Frames 2026 offered interactive activities and creative exhibitions designed to connect emerging artists with industry professionals.
Gallery Unframed displayed character art, digital creations, collectibles and other creative work. Frame Check gave aspiring artists the opportunity to receive portfolio reviews and professional guidance from established animation studios.
At the CEGA Centre, The Aniverse showcased selected short films across 2D and 3D animation, motion graphics and experimental storytelling. A jury selected the top three entries for recognition, with their work set to receive exposure through HUM Network.
The organisers did not identify the three selected entries in the information provided for the announcement.
BrandCanvas Celebrates Creative Storytelling
The event also recognised winners of BrandCanvas, a creative competition organised by CEGA to encourage innovative storytelling and artistic expression.
The competition featured two categories: CEGA Ad Film and Desi Anime Memes. Organisers announced a combined prize pool of PKR 125,000.
Through industry discussions, creative showcases and skills-focused sessions, Karachi Frames 2026 highlighted opportunities to strengthen Pakistan’s animation ecosystem, develop production-ready talent and bring locally inspired stories to wider audiences.
