Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in Pakistan’s efforts to improve public service delivery, strengthen revenue administration, and support evidence-based policymaking. Speaking at the National Artificial Intelligence Workshop in Islamabad during a panel discussion titled “AI for Public Service Transformation and SDG Acceleration,” the minister underscored that AI adoption must focus on practical solutions that generate measurable improvements in efficiency, transparency, and productivity. He cautioned against pursuing technology for its own sake, emphasizing results-driven implementation tailored to Pakistan’s economic and development priorities.
Aurangzeb noted that AI-enabled systems are increasingly contributing to tax compliance, enforcement, and policy decision-making. The government’s ongoing tax transformation initiative leverages AI-driven customer relationship management systems, production monitoring tools, risk-based compliance mechanisms, and faceless customer processes. According to the minister, these interventions reduce leakages, limit discretionary human intervention, enhance transparency, and improve revenue outcomes, producing fiscal gains that would not have been achievable through traditional, manual processes alone.
Addressing the digital economy, Aurangzeb highlighted the establishment of the Pakistan Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority PVARA as a framework to manage risks associated with digital assets while integrating emerging technologies into the formal economy. He stressed that regulation is essential for financial stability and unlocking economic potential, and that investments in human capital and skill development will enable Pakistan’s youth to participate in higher-value segments of the global technology ecosystem. Advanced technologies such as blockchain and data analytics, he added, can further support productivity-led growth and expand income opportunities.
Concluding his remarks, the finance minister said that artificial intelligence offers significant opportunities in revenue mobilisation, public service delivery, and climate and population management. However, realizing these benefits requires clear policy direction, institutional readiness, and a coordinated whole-of-government approach to digital transformation. The session was attended by Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr Musadik Malik, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, highlighting a multi-sector commitment to AI-led reforms across Pakistan.
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