islamabad:
Federal Coordinating Minister for Climate Change and Environment Musadiq Malik said on Thursday that Pakistan has not yet deployed an operational artificial intelligence (AI) agent, but one is expected to emerge in the next few years, stressing that technological advances need to remain inclusive, especially in the face of growing climate risks.
Speaking at Pakistan Governance Forum 2026, the minister said that the Prime Minister has given clear policy direction on technology development and related proposals have been integrated accordingly.
He pointed out that countries such as Japan, Singapore and China are already actively working on developing AI agents and Pakistan is working on building capacity in this field.
Malik said the main technical challenge surrounding AI implementation is currently a matter of efficiency, which he expects to improve over time.
But he stressed that a more important concern for policymakers is to ensure inclusivity so that technological innovations do not widen existing socio-economic disparities.
“Policies need to center the poorest in society and ensure they are not left behind in the technological transition,” he said, adding that the government was working on an integrated strategy aimed at addressing the “last mile problem” to ensure services and reforms effectively reach the population.
Linking technology policy and climate vulnerability, the Minister noted that recent floods demonstrate the severe impacts of climate change across villages, cities and mountain regions, disproportionately impacting poor communities, farmers and children.
He reiterated that although Pakistan contributes relatively little to global carbon dioxide emissions, it faces significant climate-related risks such as melting glaciers, unusual rainfall patterns and extreme weather events.
Moussadiq Malik said that while natural disasters cannot be completely prevented, their impact can be reduced through better planning, early warning systems and effective use of modern technology. He stressed that future policy-making must prioritize vulnerable groups, especially children and marginalized communities, to ensure sustainable and equitable development outcomes.
