Federal Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal chaired the National Task Force (AI) Conference on Artificial Intelligence on Thursday, urging integration into the national development strategy.
According to the news department, the minister acknowledged the rise in global investment in AI, stressing that Pakistan should move with clarity and purpose. He said that AI adoption cannot advance alone and must instead be led by inter-departmental cooperation.
The task force, established in 2023, was assigned a duty to identify 12 key sectors, including education, health, agriculture, climate, business and governance, where AI applications are beneficial.
Each sector will establish a multi-stakeholder working group consisting of government, academia and private sector experts. “These groups will develop sector-specific AI roadmaps that define goals, timelines and resource requirements,” read the Ministry's statement.
Last week, homemade satellite imaging tool Geogemma won the Best AI Use Case Award at the Asianapacific (APAC) Solutions Challenge, jointly held by Google and the Asian Development Bank in Manila. The winning team came from the Space Technology Research Institute in Islamabad.
The Minister also directed the establishment of a National AI Fund to provide financial support for innovative ideas and pilot projects. To effectively utilize these resources, the Minister called for mapping AI experts, research centres and resources across the country.
Last year, IQBAL launched a three-day international conference on 3D printing and vacuum technology at the National Physics Centre (NCP) at Quaid-I-Azam University, asking scientists, researchers and innovators to strive to position Pakistan at the forefront of technological advancements.
According to today's PID statement, the Minister has directed the task force to work with the Pakistan IT Industry Association (P@SHA) and other related industry associations to organize a national AI workshop to provide a platform for government, academia and industry dialogue.
“We will focus on designing practical AI solutions tailored to the development context of Pakistan,” the statement read.
The meeting was attended by IT and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Dr. Director of the National Artificial Intelligence Project, senior officials from the Ministry of IT, National Databases and Registration Office, P@Sha and representatives from the major private sector.
