Pakistani oil company Mari Energies is developing a 5MW data center in Islamabad.

In recent announcements, the Pakistan Stock Exchange company reaffirmed its previously announced plans to move into the data center space and detailed its first facility.

“Construction of our first 5MW data center is underway in Islamabad with expected completion by end of the calendar year, forming the base for our future growth in digital and cloud-based services,” the company said.

Further details weren’t shared beyond that the data center, and another planned in Karachi, will be Tier-III/IV certified.

Previously known as Mari Petroleum Company Limited, Mari last year announced it was expanding into data centers, though details weren’t shared.

MariTechnologies, a new subsidiary, is leading the company’s digital efforts, with Sky47 Ltd launched as a majority-owned subsidiary focused on data center development. Mari owns 60 percent of Sky47.

“Through our subsidiary Sky47, we aim to capitalize on early mover advantage and position ourselves as a key enabler of the national cloud infrastructure,” the company said.

Founded in 1984, Mari is controlled by the Pakistani conglomerate, the Fauji Foundation, which is largely controlled by the Pakistani Armed Forces. Mari was formed after Fauji, the state-owned OGDCL, and the Government of Pakistan acquired the Pakistan operations of Esso Eastern Inc.

According to Data Center Map, Pakistan currently has 22 data centers split between three markets: Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad. Operators include PTCL, Multinet, Chapal, Supernet, Cybernet, and Vision Telecom, among others. In June 2023, the University of Turbat in Pakistan launched a new data center. The first phase of completion coincided with the deployment of a 1MW solar project at the university.

Pakistani textiles company Chakwal Spinning Mills Limited recently said it was pivoting to develop data centers.