Pakistan has invited Meta to expand its collaboration on digital skills, artificial intelligence and small business development as the government continues pushing forward with its broader digital economy agenda. The invitation came during a meeting between Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and a Meta delegation led by Asia Pacific Public Policy representative Tehara Punchihewa and Policy Programs Manager Vivian Liang, where discussions centered on how the company could deepen its involvement in supporting Pakistani businesses.
During the meeting, Meta presented its Small Business Growth Academy, a program that will provide free training to 1,000 small and medium sized enterprises across the country between August and November 2026. The initiative will be implemented locally by AtomCamp and will train participating businesses on Meta’s digital platforms, AI powered business tools and online marketing strategies, giving smaller companies practical exposure to digital tools that larger businesses have already been using to expand their reach and customer base.
The program is designed to strengthen digital capabilities among small businesses, improve their access to broader markets, and specifically support women entrepreneurs along with businesses based in smaller cities outside the country’s major urban centers. Training will be delivered through a mix of online and in person sessions, an approach intended to make the program accessible to business owners regardless of their location or existing familiarity with digital tools. By targeting women entrepreneurs and businesses in less connected regions specifically, the initiative appears aimed at extending the practical benefits of digital adoption beyond the business hubs where such training is typically concentrated.
Jam Kamal said the government continues to place digital transformation at the center of its broader reform agenda, noting that the country is currently finalizing a new e-commerce policy alongside a broader artificial intelligence policy intended to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and technology led economic growth. He encouraged Meta to coordinate closely with the Directorate General of Trade Organizations, chambers of commerce and trade associations to help maximize the program’s reach and impact across different business communities nationwide. He also pointed to Pakistan’s existing digital partnerships with companies including Alibaba and Google, describing the country’s engagement with Meta as part of a broader pattern of collaboration with major global technology companies aimed at accelerating the pace of Pakistan’s digital transformation across the small business sector.
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