Pakistan has called for inclusive, human centered and equitable governance of artificial intelligence at the United Nations, warning that unequal access to digital infrastructure and technology could widen global inequalities if left unaddressed. The call was made during a high level discussion held at UN Headquarters, jointly organized by the Permanent Missions of Pakistan and Tajikistan along with the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, bringing together diplomats, UN officials, technology experts, academics and youth representatives to explore how AI can support sustainable development through innovation and inclusion.
Speakers at the event cautioned that disparities in access to digital infrastructure, financing, technology and skilled human resources could disproportionately affect developing countries, and stressed that AI needs to be positioned as a tool for shared progress by expanding access, investing in capacity building, and placing young people at the centre of development efforts. Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan outlined Pakistan’s efforts to prepare its youth for an AI driven future, noting that the government has allocated Rs40.58 billion to the programme for the 2026 to 2027 fiscal year. He said more than 600,000 laptops have been distributed, while 73,000 young people have received training in artificial intelligence, blockchain and data science, alongside over 217,000 technical skills scholarships awarded across 8,000 courses.
Rana Mashhood added that the Digital Youth Hub has registered over 804,000 users, facilitated access to 114,000 employment opportunities, and partnered with more than 3,180 organizations, while Pakistan’s National Artificial Intelligence Policy aims to train one million AI professionals and 10,000 AI trainers by 2030. He called for stronger international cooperation to bridge the global AI divide through investment in digital infrastructure and skills development. Tajikistan’s Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Abdurahmon Abdurahmonzoda, also spoke about his country’s initiatives, including the adoption of Central Asia’s earliest National Artificial Intelligence Strategy through 2040 and the establishment of a Regional Artificial Intelligence Centre to support regional cooperation on digital skills. The discussion also featured the UNDP’s Jennifer Louie, Google AI expert Hashim Syed, and Youth Delegate Bisma Qamar, along with representatives from China, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, with panelists stressing that AI governance frameworks must evolve alongside technological advances to address emerging risks such as cybersecurity.
In his closing remarks, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said humanity must shape the future of artificial intelligence rather than the other way around, warning that without equitable access, AI risked deepening the digital divide between developed and developing nations. He outlined four priorities for global AI governance, namely bridging the AI divide, ensuring equitable development outcomes, giving youth a leading role in technological change, and promoting ethical, transparent and accountable AI systems, adding that the collective goal must be to build strong international partnerships that ensure the benefits of AI contribute to inclusion, resilience and sustainable development for all.
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