I said this a long time ago, that their procurement policy is short sighted.
Pakistan is lucky enough to have a strong engineering base, they need to develop it further.
Pakistani Armed Forces right now need three types of helos:
1) Gunships
2) Light lift
3) Medium Lift
The only way to get them in decent numbers is to build them at home, with tech collaboration from abroad.
They need to first identify what is the exact number required, for each type, for the next 10 ~ 15 years, then rope in a manufacturer who is willing to give ToT.
Each year if they were to induct 25 ~ 30 domestically built helos, you are looking at 250 ~ 300 helos in 10 years. It is not hard to find a manufacturer who will support this initiative, but the top military brass is dragging its feet. It should have happened a long time ago.
The best approach is to partner with someone already engaged in the task and in need of someone to help take the load off in development cost and share scale. I think this is a major reason why we have the PAA, PAF and even PN approaching Turkey.
Turkey is (1) engaged in the task, (2) looking for scale and (3) looking for someone to share in the overhead cost, with (3) earning the partner rights to sub-assembly manufacturing and offsets.
China is lower-cost thanks to its domestic scale, but that comfort also gives China clout in basically denying economically valuable benefits, such as offsets and sub-assemblies sourcing. The JF-17/FC-1 is an exceptional program, you'll be hard-pressed to find many partnerships between Chinese firms and their customers.
Going it alone in Pakistan's situation (e.g. very limited fiscal means, corruption overhead, etc) is very difficult, especially for big-ticket items such as aircraft. The Project Azm 5th-gen fighter might be the first true wholly Pakistan-owned and funded big-ticket program (outside of the nuclear and strategic weapons programs).
In June, Alan Warnes said Pakistan will begin talks for 30 T129 ATAK. TAI also offered parts/sub-assemblies manufacturing to PAC with the T129. Earlier reports, including Aviation Week, had pegged final assembly as a possibility as well. After the initial 30, the PAA could look at committing to 5-6 T129 per year. In a span of 10 years that is a solid 50-60 helicopters. Unfortunately, the T129 is a standalone platform, it's unlikely we'd see its distant A109 cousin in Pakistan, so it is what it is.
On the other hand, the AW139 might have more potential. Inherently the AW139 is a good utility platform; it has widespread commercial, government and armed forces adoption, and the PT6 engine is common place. There is a MRO facility for the PT6 in the works at PAC too. IMO anyone operating an old Huey or Allouette in any state or government branch should be pushed to the AW139. Get widespread usage and push Leonardo to bring spare parts manufacturing, especially the dynamic parts, to Pakistan.
The next-phase could involve replacing the Puma, but with the AW149. The AW149 is basically a stretched AW139, but with two CT7 engines instead of the PT6. The PAA's AH-1Z use the T700, which is the military version of the CT7 (i.e. a civilian engine). So this is a top-step program: (1) bring CT7/T700 MRO to Pakistan (note: the CN-235 is also powered by the CT7) and (2) be a heavy partner in the AW149.
You can position the AW149 as a multi-role military helicopter for the PAA, PN and PAF and build scale around it, e.g. 100 helicopters. It won't be enough to pay for complete ToT, but we as the single largest user of the AW149, we can push Leonardo to share a hefty portion of the sub-assembly and dynamic parts manufacturing with PAC. Not just for the AW149 but its civilian version - AW189 - too. In parallel with domestic use, PAC and Leonardo can jointly and market the AW149 and AW189, try to make up for the ToT cost via third-party exports and support.
If not AW149 then consider co-funding TAI's possible 10-12-ton utility helicopter, assuming TAI actually goes ahead with that project (the Turks seem content with the T-70 Black Hawk).