Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom (MoITT) and Ignite National Technology Fund, in partnership with Asian Development Bank (ADB), launched Pakistan’s Digital Sector Roadmap, signaling a structured approach to advancing the Prime Minister’s vision for a digitally empowered nation. The event also recognized winners of the AI Wrapper Competition 2025, demonstrating how the National AI Policy 2025 is being translated into actionable initiatives. Officials emphasized that this roadmap provides a strategic framework for leveraging technology to drive inclusive growth, enhance governance, and build a competitive digital economy.
The two-day engagement began with the National Workshop on AI Use Case Development, where experts from government, academia, and private sector collaboratively designed AI solutions addressing national priorities in health, education, agriculture, finance, and governance. Outcomes from this workshop are expected to guide the development of the National AI Innovation Hub (NAIIH), envisioned as a comprehensive ecosystem for applied AI research, commercialization, entrepreneurship, and capacity building. The roadmap itself lays out a ten-year vision for Pakistan, focused on creating a connected, inclusive, and future-ready nation by 2035, aligning with Uraan Pakistan 2024–2029 and Digital Nation Pakistan Act 2025. Its four pillars — Digital Infrastructure, Digital Economy, Digital Governance, and Digital Society — provide a structured approach to achieving long-term impact.
The AI Wrapper Competition 2025, conducted under Digital Pakistan, highlighted the country’s emerging AI talent with over 1,700 teams from 106 cities participating, including one-third female participants. The competition focused on thematic areas such as EdTech, HealthTech, Climate and AgriTech, GovTech, and FinTech. Winners were awarded a total prize of Rs8.7 million, recognizing their innovative AI-driven solutions for national challenges. Federal Minister for IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja extended congratulations to the winners, highlighting that the competition embodies the spirit of National AI Policy 2025 and demonstrates the potential of responsible AI application for socio-economic development.
Ignite CEO Rafique A. Buriro emphasized that initiatives such as the AI Wrapper Competition and NAIIH are crucial for turning policy into practical impact. By fostering collaboration between startups, researchers, and government, Pakistan can accelerate real-world AI adoption across sectors. Dr. Antonio García Zaballos, Director of Digital Sector Office, ADB, underscored that the roadmap offers a clear pathway for inclusive, innovation-led growth. He noted ADB’s support in strengthening digital infrastructure, expanding the digital economy, improving governance mechanisms, and building a digitally literate society.
MoITT reaffirmed its commitment to executing the National AI Policy 2025, establishing NAIIH, and fostering partnerships to strengthen Pakistan’s knowledge-based economy. The roadmap, combined with AI-focused initiatives and competitive platforms like AI Wrapper, aims to cultivate a generation of innovators, enhance technological literacy, and position Pakistan as a regional leader in applied AI. Officials noted that the initiative will not only improve digital infrastructure and governance but also create opportunities for entrepreneurship, skills development, and inclusive growth, reinforcing the country’s commitment to becoming a digitally advanced nation.
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