Islamabad, July 24 – National AI (Artificial Intelligence) policy is set to be approved soon. This was stated by Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
Speaking at a seminar at Quaid-i-Azam University, the minister emphasized the government’s commitment to implementing the policy and urged all stakeholders—including academia, industry, and civil society—to contribute to its execution.
Pakistan had recently hosted its first Digital Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Forum, attended by delegates from 45 countries. The forum, held in partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Digital Cooperation Organization, resulted in MoUs worth $700 million—the largest digital investment event in the country’s history.
The national AI policy outlines six core areas: innovation, public awareness, infrastructure development, AI ethics and safety, sectoral transformation, and global cooperation. The minister invited further feedback and encouraged experts to review and refine the proposed framework through open digital channels.
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Highlighting the importance of inclusive growth, Shaza Fatima praised women’s participation in the event, calling gender inclusion essential for technological progress. “No country can succeed by leaving out half its population,” she noted.
The minister also pointed to Pakistan’s progress in youth upskilling, citing over 350,000 individuals trained in digital and AI-related skills through collaborations with local and global partners, including Google, Huawei, and Microsoft. She said the goal is to ensure that every IT graduate either secures employment or becomes an entrepreneur.
Significant budget allocations have been made under the Public Sector Development Program to support employment in the tech sector, but Shaza Fatima emphasized that sustainable development depends on national collaboration.
