Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja has announced that Pakistan will train one million people in artificial intelligence over the next three years, as the government accelerates its drive to prepare the national workforce for a rapidly evolving global digital economy. Speaking at a ceremony, the minister said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has personally directed authorities to equip one million Pakistanis with artificial intelligence skills within this timeframe, enabling them to compete in the global digital marketplace. The minister noted that the artificial intelligence revolution is transforming industries worldwide and creating new opportunities across multiple sectors, making the development of a skilled domestic workforce not merely a policy aspiration but an economic necessity.
Alongside the training target, Minister Shaza Fatima confirmed that the government has approved Pakistan’s National Artificial Intelligence Policy, aimed at promoting innovation, digital growth, and the responsible use of emerging technologies across the country. The policy represents a foundational step in giving structure and institutional direction to Pakistan’s artificial intelligence ambitions, moving from ad hoc adoption to a coordinated national framework. The minister emphasised the importance of developing artificial intelligence systems that reflect Pakistan’s local needs, stating that artificial intelligence must be trained according to the country’s own social, economic, and cultural context rather than simply importing models calibrated for other markets and languages.
On the digital infrastructure front, the minister acknowledged that internet connectivity challenges in Pakistan had been partly linked to limited spectrum availability, and outlined the steps taken to address this. The government has expanded available spectrum from 270 megahertz to 750 megahertz and recently auctioned 480 megahertz of spectrum across multiple frequency bands to strengthen telecommunications services, with 5G now live across major cities as a direct outcome of that auction. To further improve international connectivity, the government is also laying new submarine cables to enhance international internet bandwidth and improve overall network reliability. The minister expressed confidence that the rollout of 5G technology would significantly improve internet speeds and user experience for Pakistanis across the country.
The minister also disclosed that discussions are underway with Google regarding expanding its presence in Pakistan, and highlighted a meaningful milestone for the country’s technology manufacturing sector: Google Chromebooks are now being produced locally in Pakistan. Free training programmes are being offered to students to improve digital literacy and prepare young people for technology-driven careers, complementing the broader one million AI training target by building foundational digital skills at the base of the education pipeline. Taken together, the announcements by Minister Shaza Fatima point to a multi-track strategy combining workforce development, policy frameworks, infrastructure investment, and international technology partnerships as the pillars of Pakistan’s push to position itself as a meaningful participant in the global digital economy over the next three years.
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