Pakistan has taken a significant administrative step toward implementing its National Artificial Intelligence Policy by initiating the formation of the country’s first National AI Council. The move, led by the Ministry of IT and Telecom, is intended to create a centralized apex body responsible for guiding, coordinating and overseeing execution of the National AI Policy 2025 across federal and provincial levels. Officials confirmed that nominations for council membership have already been sought from a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including academia, industry, civil society, citizen advocacy groups and priority sectors such as healthcare and agriculture. While most nominations have been received, remaining submissions are expected to be finalized shortly, paving the way for the formal notification of the council.
According to the Ministry of IT and Telecom, the National AI Council will be chaired by the federal minister for IT and telecom and will include representation from key federal and provincial institutions. Membership will comprise secretaries from the IT, science and planning ministries, heads of relevant regulatory and academic bodies, provincial chief secretaries, and representatives from industry, academia, civil society and citizen advocacy groups. Officials said the council’s role will extend beyond coordination, providing strategic direction and policy oversight to ensure that AI initiatives align with national priorities. The body will also serve as a platform to synchronize AI related efforts across government tiers, reducing fragmentation and improving policy execution at scale.
The council is expected to play a central role in supervising the use of resources under the proposed National AI Fund and ensuring that AI development in Pakistan adheres to ethical, transparent and human centric principles. Officials emphasized that the council will regularly review progress against defined targets, address implementation gaps and guide interprovincial coordination. A dedicated Policy Implementation Cell will support the council’s work, alongside a master action matrix designed to track milestones, ensure ethical compliance and guide strategic allocation of financial and technical resources. This structure aims to translate policy objectives into measurable outcomes while maintaining oversight on governance and accountability.
Approved by the federal cabinet on July 31, 2025, the National AI Policy 2025 forms a core pillar of Pakistan’s broader Digital Pakistan vision. The policy seeks to transition the country toward a knowledge based economy by fostering a secure, inclusive and innovation driven AI ecosystem. It is structured around six strategic pillars covering market enablement, sectoral transformation, AI infrastructure development, international collaboration, public awareness and readiness, and the creation of a secure and ethical AI environment. Within this framework, the government has outlined plans to establish the National AI Fund and dedicated venture funds to support startups and innovation, alongside ambitious capacity building targets such as training one million AI professionals by 2030 and offering 3,000 postgraduate scholarships annually.
AI adoption across priority sectors including healthcare, agriculture, education and governance has been identified as a central objective of the policy, with an emphasis on practical applications that improve service delivery and productivity. The framework also includes plans for developing indigenous large language models and establishing a national compute grid to strengthen local AI capabilities and reduce reliance on external infrastructure. Officials believe the formation of the National AI Council will be instrumental in translating these policy ambitions into coordinated action, accelerating AI driven innovation and supporting Pakistan’s long term shift toward a technology led and knowledge driven economy.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
