Report by Engineering Post
Pakistan was actively pushing to become a digital nation as quickly as possible with due focus on Information Technology (IT) growth, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cyber security.
According to the information available from the official quarters concerned, the digital sector was a key driver of economic security, strategic stability and global competitiveness. The country has so far secured US $ 700 million international investments in the digital sector.
Major initiative in this regarded included as many as 43 Software Technology Parks, more than 400 technology companies in repurposed malls, 85 incubators, two CEGA centers, and support for over 4100 startups with international collaboration from the USA, UK, Canada, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Germany, Jordan and Azerbaijan.
Furthermore, key programmes included the Pakistan Startup Fund, the Prime Minister’s Cloud Programme, DigiSkills 3..0 training 4.3 million Pakistanis, and SkillTech Initiative .
Reforms introduced or in the process of being introduced included updated IT and AI curricula, a semiconductor programme training 7200 professionals, TikTok’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) Feed and Meta’s AI-in-Urdu project. Google has already completed al; required formalities for opening its office in Pakistan and signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for digital skills development.
