The Office of AI and Special Initiatives in Punjab held discussions with representatives from the British High Commission, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pakistan on artificial intelligence, governance and technology-enabled public service delivery. Ben Warrington, Head of the British High Commission in Pakistan’s Lahore Office, attended the meeting alongside representatives from FCDO and UNDP Pakistan. The delegation met with Ali Dar, Advisor to the Chief Minister of Punjab, at the Office of AI and Special Initiatives.
The meeting focused on Punjab’s priorities for artificial intelligence and the role of technology in improving government services. The Office of AI shared its priorities, delivery approach and ongoing work under AI Vision 2029. The initiative was discussed in the context of developing practical applications of AI within government and other priority sectors, while also considering governance and responsible adoption. The participating organisations brought perspectives from their respective work in governance, institutional reform and development programmes, providing an opportunity to discuss areas where these efforts could intersect with Punjab’s technology initiatives.
A key area of discussion was the potential development of a longer-term partnership around institutional capacity and responsible AI adoption. According to the Office of AI, the discussions explored programmes that could support government institutions in building their capacity to use emerging technologies and applying AI to practical public-sector requirements. The engagement also covered technology-enabled public service delivery, with the participating teams considering how digital tools could be incorporated into government processes and priority sectors. No specific partnership agreement, funding commitment or individual AI project was announced as part of the meeting.
The meeting brought together provincial government representatives and international development organisations working on governance, technology and institutional development. The participation of the British High Commission’s Lahore Office, FCDO and UNDP Pakistan provided a platform for exchanging views on AI governance and development priorities. The Office of AI said the engagement forms part of discussions around longer-term collaboration, while the details of any future programmes, implementation timelines or participating institutions have not yet been disclosed. The focus remains on exploring practical areas for cooperation under Punjab’s AI Vision 2029 and broader efforts involving technology-enabled public service delivery.
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