When Faizan Aslam founded Bookme in Lahore in 2013, Pakistan’s digital economy was barely getting off the ground — internet usage was limited, e-commerce was nascent, and transport bookings ran almost entirely on paper. Aslam, who had previously run Macropak Solutions, shut down that services business and redirected his team toward a single product: an e-ticketing platform that would digitize Pakistan’s bus, cinema, and event bookings. The pivot, and the risk that came with it, laid the foundation for what is now one of Pakistan’s most recognized travel-technology companies.
Bookme grew steadily through partnerships with Pakistani banks and fintechs, eventually processing more than 80 million bookings and building a base exceeding 15 million users. The company raised a $7.5 million Series A round co-led by Zayn Capital, Lakson Venture Capital, and UAE-based Hayaat Global, funding that supported expansion into smaller cities and, after an earlier setback in Myanmar, a more calculated push into the Gulf.
That push has centered on Saudi Arabia. Since 2024, Bookme has signed partnerships with the Saudi Tourism Authority, delivery platform Mrsool, budget carrier flyadeal, ride-hailing app Jeeny, and rewards platform Resal — deals Aslam says could generate roughly $20 million in annual revenue and grow Bookme’s Saudi user base toward one million. The company has also fielded acquisition interest, which it has reportedly turned down at least once while evaluating further offers.
Under Aslam’s leadership, Bookme has evolved from a domestic ticketing app into what he describes as travel infrastructure for the MENAP region — integrating flights, hotels, ground transport, and events into banking apps and super-apps across Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. For Aslam, the Gulf expansion represents not a side venture but the next phase of a decade-long bet that digitizing everyday travel could scale well beyond Pakistan’s borders.
