Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja held a productive meeting with Ibrahim Neyaz, CEO of the National Technology Development Program, on the sidelines of LEAP 2026 in Riyadh. The meeting focused on advancing the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia technology and startup exchange programme and further deepening bilateral cooperation in emerging technologies and innovation between the two countries.
Discussions between the two officials also covered opportunities to strengthen collaboration across several high impact fields, including AI, SpaceTech, Biotech, FinTech, AgriTech and EdTech, pointing to a broad based approach to technology cooperation rather than a narrow focus on a single sector. The meeting adds to a series of engagements Minister Khawaja has held during her visit to LEAP 2026, where she formally inaugurated the Tech Destination Pakistan Pavilion and delivered a keynote address titled How We Built a Digital Nation.
In her broader remarks at LEAP 2026, Khawaja underscored that Pakistan had anchored its digital transformation in legislation through the Digital Nation Pakistan Act, which established the National Digital Commission and Pakistan Digital Authority to ensure institutional ownership of the country’s digital agenda. She noted that this legal foundation had been complemented by investment in connectivity and competitiveness, including one of the largest spectrum auctions in the country’s history, framing Pakistan’s digital progress as the product of sound policymaking paired with strong institutions.
The meeting with NTDP continues a pattern of growing engagement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on technology cooperation, building on earlier discussions at LEAP events in previous years that focused on fostering business to business collaborations in fields such as AI, cloud computing and fintech. As Pakistan’s delegation continues its engagements throughout LEAP 2026, the discussions with NTDP add another concrete cooperation track aimed at translating high level bilateral goodwill into structured programmes benefiting startups and technology companies in both countries.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
