Pakistan to Invest $1 Billion in AI by 2030, PM Shehbaz Announces
Islamabad : Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced a comprehensive national push to advance artificial intelligence (AI), including an investment of one billion dollars by 2030, the development of a dedicated AI curriculum, and the award of 1,000 PhD scholarships in the field.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of Indus AI Week 2026, the prime minister said that by equipping Pakistan’s large youth population with AI skills, a transformative revolution could be achieved across agriculture, industry, trade, and other economic sectors, positioning Pakistan prominently among knowledge-based nations.
The ceremony was attended by Governor Sindh, Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Attaullah Tarar, as well as diplomats and senior officials from friendly countries.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Indus AI Week would reshape Pakistan’s technology landscape and present the country as a strong global partner. Recalling his tenure as Chief Minister Punjab under the leadership and vision of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, he highlighted initiatives in education, healthcare, revenue reforms, and youth development, including the distribution of 500,000 laptops to talented students, establishment of e-libraries, the country’s first Safe City project in Lahore, and Pakistan’s first IT university.
He said the Punjab Land Digitalisation Programme ensured transparency in land records, reduced corruption, and improved revenue collection through reforms such as the introduction of e-stamp papers. He added that digitisation of the Federal Board of Revenue enhanced transparency in tax collection, while modern scanners were installed at ports to curb smuggling.
The prime minister noted that 60 percent of Pakistan’s 240 million population consists of youth, stressing the urgent need to equip them with modern knowledge and technical skills. He announced plans to train one million non-IT professionals in AI, introduce AI education and curricula in underdeveloped regions including Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Balochistan, and invest one billion dollars in the AI sector by 2030.
He said Pakistan is ready to enter the global AI arena, emphasizing outreach to rural areas and collaboration with international partners to harness the positive impact of technology. AI-driven transformation is expected in the economy, industry, trade, and women’s empowerment, he added.
Federal Minister for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja said Pakistan is moving decisively towards a digital revolution. She said a national digital roadmap has been prepared under the Digital Nation Pakistan Act, a National Digital Commission has been established under the prime minister’s leadership, and the Pakistan Digital Authority is developing a nationwide digital master plan.
She added that clear governance frameworks for data, cybersecurity, and AI have been introduced, while Pakistan’s first National AI Policy was launched in September 2025, with implementation beginning in 2026. She said Indus AI Week would foster collaboration among universities, startups, and global companies. AI-based track-and-trace systems have enhanced transparency in the tax system, while digital skills programmes are providing basic AI competencies.
Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said AI has become the most critical requirement of the modern era. He recalled initiatives undertaken during previous governments led by Nawaz Sharif, including issuance of 3G and 4G licences and focused investment in science, technology, and IT under Vision 2025 to prepare Pakistan for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
He said national centres for IT, AI, and cybersecurity were established to achieve self-reliance, and that a National AI Task Force formed under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif played a key role in launching Pakistan’s first AI policy. He added that after success in the “battle for truth,” Pakistan must now achieve its goals in the “battle for development.”
tags: #ArtificialIntelligence #ShehbazSharif #IndusAIWeek2026 #DigitalPakistan #YouthSkills #TechRevolution #AITalent #diplomatsWorld
