PTCL Introduces AI-Powered Sign Language Accessibility
Islamabad, September 15, 2026: Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), the country’s leading telecommunications and ICT services provider, has partnered with Pakistani accessibility technology company ConnectHear to introduce SILA, an AI-powered sign language agent, at PTCL customer care centers.
The accessibility solution will initially be installed at customer centers in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, enabling Deaf customers to communicate their queries and service requirements in sign language and interact with customer service representatives without depending on a human interpreter.
The initiative is part of PTCL’s broader efforts to make its services more inclusive and accessible for customers with diverse abilities. It also builds on the company’s ongoing collaboration with ConnectHear to improve accessibility for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.
PTCL Chief Marketing Officer Amad Khan said the partnership has evolved from sensitizing and training customer-facing teams to using technology to address key accessibility barriers faced by the Deaf community.
“Connectivity is meaningful only when it enables everyone to participate,” Khan said, adding that PTCL is using technology to enhance equitable accessibility and help customers engage with the company with greater dignity and independence.
ConnectHear CEO and Co-founder Azima Dhanjee said the partnership demonstrates the potential of sustained, technology-driven efforts to improve accessibility.
She said ConnectHear’s AI-powered sign language agent would bring sign language accessibility directly into everyday customer service environments and contribute toward a more accessible Pakistan.
The collaboration between the two organizations has previously produced accessibility-focused solutions, including SUNO, an AI-powered early warning system that delivers emergency alerts in Pakistani Sign Language through WhatsApp.
According to the companies, SUNO was developed to help the Deaf community receive critical information during natural and man-made disasters.
PTCL and ConnectHear said their collaboration is based on the shared belief that technology can help reduce accessibility barriers and support more equitable participation in society.