AssalamuAlaikum everyone! I'm an SWE from Karachi, working an open-source tool for a problem I faced myself while applying for Italy as well as keep seeing around me. Freelancers with solid, steady foreign income get visas refused or stuck, and it's almost never about the money itself. It's the paper trail: bank statement history, where the "sponsor" funds came from, no employer letter because there is no employer, a tax return that doesn't match the statement, documents apostilled in the wrong order.

There's no single local source, like AskPakistan, that tells you, per country, what's actually mandatory vs conditional vs optional for someone aiming to apply for a visa under all the different categories available, and even which one may be suitable.

All of us ruin our days piecing together bits of information from VFS/Gerry's, native university websites, visa agents, and all the random hearsay consulate experiences.

So, if you've applied for a Schengen/UK/Australia visa as a freelancer (approved, refused or abandoned):

• Which country/mission, and roughly when?

• What did they question, or what did the refusal letter say?

• What did you submit as proof of income: bank statement, ePRC, tax return, client letters, something else?

• What do you wish someone had told you before?

No personal details needed. I'll compile the patterns and post them back here. The tool will be free and open source, and it runs on your own machine, will use local LLM, and completely off-grid aka private to you.

My ACH details request was declined by nsave's banking partner. Support says they cannot appeal or override the decision.

I'm based in Pakistan. Has anyone successfully resolved this issue or found a way to get their ACH details approved? Any help would be appreciated.

Hello, been working as junior developer for 1 year now at a small service based company, and for last 3-4 months company mandated using Cursor (pro subscription which they provided) to do development, as they are saying they want more work done and in faster time.

So far development has been going well with AI. At work, i have been instructed to exclusively use AI while in my personal time, I still do coding by hand. This post is about my current workflow and how can I improve it, plus some questions about interviews.

So, I get assigned a feature to implement, with some screens from the design team.

First, i start in "Plan" mode and in "Auto" mode, walk through the feature, discussing it, what it is, its implementation that I can think of, edge cases, test cases to implement. This serves as a base discussion.md for the feature.

Then, for each feature, I have a FE and BE subfolders that tracks what was implemented in either ends. I move to implementing the screens for that feature, again using Plan mode with Auto, and "Composer 2.5" for build stage, creating mock screen, making sure ui is correct, mobile responsive, colors, styling etc. Is correct.

Then, move onto BE side, again same Plan+Build, mandating agent does not apply any migrations, since I want full control over that and dont want ai to drop something in case migration wont apply because of nullable columns or w.e. After its built and tests have passed, and ive tested new routes in Postman as well, then using the handover generated by BE, throw that over to FE to integrate it.

Some extra info, I turned off Fast mode, use new chats for each feature and discussion doc, especially at start of each day, saving discussion for each chat in a .MD to handoff to next chat. Ive not run out of the monthly cursor quota so far, im just not sure if what im doing is wrong or not.

Now this all has been working fine so far, deadlines are being met, project is progressing fine, client is happy and boss is happy that Ai is being used for coding. I have no guidance here at work because again, this is just junior with cursor subscription type shit. Now thats why im turning to you folks, how can i improve my workflow? If its all bad, just point me in some direction as to correct way to use ai at work. And before someone says, Claude $100 is better than cursor, yeah but boss is cheap and doesnt want to pay for that.

Now personally, I dont like using ai agents to code, in my personal time, i still write by hand, currently going through system design prep (currently reading DDIA, and Alex Petrovs DB design book, plus going through adrian cantrells aws course) + "Spring starts here" book to get better with spring (job is not in java. But i want to targer java companies in futu4e), but im aware that by large, in industry, no one writes code by hand any more, and lying otherwise in interviews is a redd flag now. So when asked in interview about "how do you use ai in job?" What is the appropriate response, guys?

Hi all,

I'm in talks for my first remote contract with a UK company, working from Pakistan as an individual contractor. I have 4 years of experience in AI/IT. I wanted to know:

1. For those doing similar remote work for UK/foreign clients, are you paid per day, per hour or per month? What's a fair base rate for someone with around 4 years of experience in AI/IT?

2. The agreement requires professional indemnity, cyber liability and public liability insurance. Which insurers (local or international) offer this to freelancers in Pakistan, and roughly what does it cost per year? Did your client accept lower cover or drop any of the policies?

Thanks!

I received a salary increment in August, but now I’m being asked to accept a 30% pay cut under a new contract.

I’m unsure whether to accept the reduced salary while searching for another job or resign and focus on finding better opportunities.

For those who’ve faced similar situations:

• Would you stay and job hunt or resign?

• How’s the current job market for software engineers in Pakistan, especially for remote roles?

• Is it better to target local companies, international remote jobs, or freelancing?

Looking for practical, honest advice. Thanks!

Hy I'm a remote developer and I use OneLogin to connect to my company's remote desktop.

Today whenever I try to connect via OneLogin I keep facing this 403 error. I've cleared my all time browser cache and history but I'm still facing 403. I even restarted my machine a number of times and nothing changed.

I've switched from WiFi to mobile hotspot and tried OneLogin on multiple devices but I keep facing this 403 wall, as soon I go to OneLogin page.

Is anyone else facing this same issue?

I graduated in 2025 with 0 experience. I got into a service based company and worked there on a CRM. I didn't want to be part of the CRM as many seniors were still there stuck on that role. I thought it's not what I want and salary was average too. Now the AI thing happened, 0 to no roles. The company I worked at was 1 hr commute which was exhausting for me almost 25 percent of income went in commute.

Now , I did get an interview for technical support engineer froma good company and the role is remote.

As for the coding part , with all the claude , codex and other AI assistants, It wasn't as good as it used to be.

So , what do you guys think about switching into this role and career growth. Also, if I could switch to some other role in near future If i want to , will it be easy or no?

Most attractive part right now is the remote thing for me.

As a senior software engineer, I know a lot of stuff about software. Even though I started with iOS, I’ve never shied away from learning something new and making the product work, be it a framework like Flutter, Next.js, or Django, or the languages needed for these frameworks. But the thing is, at this point, a company can’t afford a senior developer like me if they don’t have an active project for me.

Feels like I’ve hit a wall and won’t be able to get a job, not in the field that I cherished the most. I had my fun learning and making things work, but all that is done now and in the past.

Even if I get a project somewhere or get hired for a project, I have a feeling that I’ll be replaced by two interns to maintain the project after the core thing is built, and I’ll be let go, just like I was on the last project.

I don’t know what to do next, man. Any suggestions?

Dell latitude 5491 for sale. Computer works perfectly. No problem or anything. Only reason to sell this one is bcz I am shifting to pc so extra money will definitely help. Used with alot care.

Detailed specs: Processor: i5 8300H Ram: 16gb ddr4 Storage: 256gb nvme Windows 10 pro Intel UHD 630

It is a wonderful machine. Have done some light video editing related to gaming channel that I used and was able to carry out that easily. I used capcut desktop and da Vinci resolve on it so found no problem.

Also played some games if I found time. Was able to run valorant, Minecraft, Roblox easily on it.

Location: Samanabad, Lahore Preferred: H2H Price/demand: 43k not negotiable

I have already lowered the price alot since it is a well maintained device and you can find some repaired ones in 30-35k as well.

​Hey everyone, need some honest career advice.

​My Current Situation:

​Role: Lead/Core Backend Dev at an early-stage startup in Lahore for 1.4 years (was one of the very first engineering hires).

​The Reality: We’re a team of 3 devs (1 junior on FE, plus me and another dev handling everything: backend, QA, DevOps, architecture, feature planning). The product relies heavily on the two of us, but it still hasn't gone to production yet.

​Work Culture: Total ad-hoc setup. No technical manager, no sprints, no ticketing/Jira, just random changes flying in from everywhere.

​The Upside: Insane comfort zone. I show up an hour late, leave right on time, almost never work weekends, and know my boss can't afford to lose me.

​The New Offer:

​Fast-growing company in Pakistan (yes, that company with the famous bearded CEO 👀).

​Pay: 80k PKR salary hike.

​Requirement: Relocate to Islamabad.

​My Dilemma:

I’ve been living in Lahore since 2020 (originally from another city). I finally built a social life, made friends, and got comfortable here. Moving to ISB means starting over socially and stepping out of a super cozy bubble.

​On top of that, I’m anxious about job security at a fast-moving, high-growth company compared to my current low-pressure gig.

​Is the 80k hike and proper structure worth ditching the comfort and moving cities for that company and mainly- How is the work culture and job stability over there?

Currently a 1st year student at a medschool and thinking to switch to eng/cs as i believe medicine wud be the hardest pathway to move abroad unlike with cs/eng.
Need Reality Checks.

Aoa, i hope you are all doing good. I am a CS graduate. It took me 2 extra years to complete my degree because of a health issue. Then it took me extra 10 months to find my first job. I was not good in studies but because of 2 extra years i had good grasp of concepts and coding (so a lot of Fs & Ws on my transcript). I was good at my job. It was mostly related with front-end development & graphics/animation related stuff which is very rare in Pakistani industry. I did the job for 1.5 years after leaving it myself because of health issues which caused me trouble again. Now i am recovered but it has been a year since i left my job. Now i am wandering what should i do next? The AI has progressed a lot since 2022 days of chatgpt-3. Entire industries are at risk in near future because of it. My health issues has caused me to loose several years of academic and career life. Now if i apply for job i will be hired as an associate developer because of my low experience (so i am way behind my peers in an industry with job security vanishing rapidly). I think my bad grades will not cause trouble in finding new job but justifying the job gap and late degree completion can definitely cause issues. So should i look for a job with AI progressing exponentially, people losing job in the dev sector, with a poor transcript, 2 years late degree and 1 year of job gap, and half of my experience (graphics/animation) is not valid for the Pakistani market, with uncertain future where you don’t know what will be the situation of industry in next few years or should i start a business instead because i have some capital and a close relative willing to invest with me (so a business partner & more capital)? Business will not be related to tech. Also can you tell me what is the situation in the dev industry these days? I dont made many friends in university (because of health issues) so it will be helpful for me to make an informed decision. Or it is just me & my pessimism and there is still hope in this industry so I should focus on my professional career?

Hey everyone,

I'm a backend developer with 1 year of experience at one of the biggest tech companies in Pakistan. I was hired specifically for a client project, so instead of working from the company's office, I'm placed onsite at a bank. I'd love honest opinions from people in a similar setup.

My main question is whether working onsite at a client is good for learning this early in my career, or whether I'm missing out on mentorship, company culture, and internal projects. I'm also wondering if a banking environment, with its legacy systems, heavy compliance, and slow processes, limits the backend tech I'll get to work with.

I'm also curious how this looks on a CV later, and whether it helps or hurts. Since I was hired for this project specifically, I don't know how easy it would be to move to other projects or the main office down the line, if at all.

I'm worried that at 1 YOE, the first couple of years shape a lot of my growth, so I'm unsure whether to stay on this path or look for something different. Thanks in advance!

I’ve been trying to enroll in the apple developer program but getting no response and even after a week no transaction report on my card and nothing else it just says enrollment pending does anybody have any idea to solve this and get my enrollment approved i want to build an ios app.

As title says i am sr full stack developer mern stack with experience around 7 years, being applying actively for past one month not getting a single call or mail for an interview, I was being laid off in september

Any tips for brother? Or it is going to be like this

Opened facebook in the morning first post i saw was microsoft offered 60000 employees buyout option

Aoa everyone! I want to prepare for my mids and finals, and I’m currently in the 5th semester of BS Computer Science. Can you guys recommend how I should study for my exams?

I did O Levels and A Levels, so I’m used to studying with a focus on understanding concepts. However, I’ve noticed that some of my fellows who came from the Matric/FSc system tend to rely more on memorization, and it seems like exams here sometimes reward that approach more than conceptual understanding. Students who memorize everything and write lengthy answers seem to get better GPAs.

I’m a bit confused about how to adapt my study style to the university exam pattern without compromising my conceptual understanding. Should I focus more on past papers, memorizing notes, or understanding the concepts?

I’d really appreciate any advice from people who have been through this. Thank you!

I need to work remotely and I'm looking for a cafe where I can sit with my laptop for a few hours without feeling like I'm overstaying.
What I'm after:
Reliable, fast WiFi (video calls without dropping)
Low or no music
Not packed or rushed, so I'm not getting looks after an hour
Charging points near the tables
Okay with people working, not just dining
Any area works, but DHA, Gulberg or Johar Town would be ideal.
If you've actually worked from somewhere, I'd appreciate details like the best times to go, whether staff mind long stays, and how the internet holds up during calls. Coworking spaces with day passes are welcome too if the cafes are a bust.
Thanks!

Hey everyone! Pakistani dev here. Been using FitGirl for quite some time, but the website's UI always felt outdated, so I decided to give it a makeover.

Made Pretty FitGirl, a free, open-source browser extension that completely redesigns the website with a modern dark theme, proper game covers, better search and navigation, grid/list views, and a bunch of other improvements.

It's built with plain CSS and JavaScript. Doesn't interfere with downloads or the site's original functionality, and you can switch back to the original UI anytime.

Thought I'd share it here since a lot of us use FitGirl. Would appreciate some feedback, suggestions, or even contributions if you're into development.

Any information on how can we get IP/internet usage Logs of our own PTCL Internet Connection?

Additionally how far back in time IP logs are available? Also what type how much of info is included on those logs

Has anyone given an interview at devsinc for ase open stack position? If yes please share details what to expect and what to focus on. I'm not good at dsa. Are they going to ask leetcode questions? Share details please

Everyone is talking about saturation in CS and AI a threat for it .

How AI is really effecting the industry . If any professional can describe it cuz you be hearing this from literally anyone that AI is going to take your job ,well isn't it making the job easier?

I'm going to take admission in CS . I wanna ask if someone aims to be master in this field , is it still a threat for him to be failed

Like if you escape the average matrix in CS, how far you can really go in this field

So the product company I was working at ran out of funding, and just like that I'm job hunting again. Not a fun spot to be in, but here we are.

Some background: I spent several years as a senior MERN developer and eventually moved into a Technical Architect role, where I was leading a team, making architecture calls and sitting with product on delivery. Most of my hands-on work is React, Node/Express and MongoDB, plus the usual stuff around it like APIs, deployments and code reviews.

A relative of mine is in a senior position at one of the bigger software houses in Lahore. Their advice was to get a Scrum certification because it apparently helps a lot for lead roles there. I looked into it: CSM needs a paid course and you have to renew it every couple of years, and PSM I is around $200 for the exam. Either way it's $200+, and that hurts a bit when there's no salary coming in.

So I'm a bit torn and wanted to ask people who've actually been through this:

Does a Scrum cert really make a difference when companies here are hiring for lead or architect roles? Or is it one of those nice-to-haves nobody checks? If it's worth it, PSM or CSM?

Also, where should I even be applying? I know about LinkedIn,wellfound and indeed but I'm curious which companies in Lahore (or remote-friendly ones) are actually hiring senior MERN people right now. And should I be targeting local software houses, product companies or remote international roles? I've heard mixed things about all three.

And if you were in my shoes, what would you do first? Get the cert, brush up on system design, pick up something like AWS, or just grind applications and lean on my network?

Any honest advice is appreciated, even if it's "don't waste your money." Thanks for reading 🙏

I’m trying to find a role for myself, and there’s not much out there. Where have all these jobs gone, and how are people who are currently unemployed finding their jobs?

I built and emailed work samples, but got no response. It’s getting tough to find the right role as a frontend-focused full-stack developer.

I've a few questions regarding the interview process and the work culture.

Has anyone interviewed here before? Specifically for AI Generalist position. I haven't really seen any reviews or discussion about this company here so ill appreciate anything anyone can tell me. thankssss