National AI Policy Hailed as a Milestone for Economic Revolution

Industry experts and key stakeholders in the IT sector have lauded the government’s newly introduced National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy. They view it as a significant step towards transforming the nation’s economic landscape in the coming years through diligent collaboration and effective implementation.

According to them, the policy is poised to usher in a new era filled with opportunities for Pakistan. It has the potential to not only stimulate both domestic and international investments but also to boost the export of advanced technological services and products.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently gave the nod to the National AI Policy 2025 during a cabinet meeting. This policy is geared towards establishing a comprehensive AI ecosystem within Pakistan, ensuring widespread access to AI, improving public services, and fostering fresh avenues for employment and innovation.

AI Education Initiatives

Mehwish Salman Ali, a member of the AI committee at P@SHA, emphasized the need for Pakistan to work hand in hand with local and international universities and training centers. The aim is to develop a skilled workforce for AI, targeting the training of 10,000 instructors and the graduation of 1 million IT professionals within the next couple of years. She stressed that achieving this requires collaborative efforts and a standardized framework.

She suggested that leading IT firms, together with universities, should introduce relevant degree programs and establish innovation hubs in major cities. These hubs would serve as platforms for professionals to collaborate on innovative ideas, enhance their skills, and build capacity.

Additionally, she proposed that the government cultivate relationships with developed nations and emerging economies, like those in the Gulf region, to collaborate on AI initiatives that provide mutual benefits and strengthen trade relations.

The National AI Policy includes plans to train 1 million AI professionals by 2030, set up an AI Innovation Fund and an AI Venture Fund to encourage private sector participation, launch 50,000 AI-driven community projects, and develop 1,000 local AI products within the next five years. It also aims to distribute 3,000 AI scholarships annually, support 1,000 research projects, promote the inclusion of women and people with disabilities through accessible education and funding, bolster cybersecurity and national data protection measures, foster global partnerships, and adhere to international AI standards.

Furthermore, the policy outlines the establishment of an AI Council and a detailed master plan with an action matrix to oversee its execution.

IT Exports Target

P@SHA’s Senior Vice Chairman, Muhammad Umair Nizam, stated that the policy would act as a blueprint for achieving significant progress in business, technology, and the economy in Pakistan.

He suggested that the policy could be crucial in meeting the $10 billion IT export target by FY29 and opening doors for investment in IT and related businesses.

However, he emphasized that the government must offer essential infrastructure to fully capitalize on the policy, including fast internet, affordable devices, power, and workstations in various cities.

He also urged the government to launch nationwide awareness campaigns, highlighting the need for ethical and productive users of AI, in addition to AI experts and developers.

P@SHA has pledged its complete support through its members to help the government achieve its ambitious goals.

Dr. Noman Said, an IT exporter and CEO of SI Global Solution, commented that Pakistan’s National Artificial Intelligence Policy is a positive and necessary step towards building a digital economy ready for the future. However, he cautioned that Pakistan’s history of tech policies is often marked by delays and reduced impact.

He added, “To make this work, we must take decisive action, reduce bureaucracy, and achieve early successes to build trust. The real challenge lies in turning the policy into tangible progress, not just creating it.”

He noted that while the policy sets objectives up to 2028, AI is advancing globally every 6–12 months. Therefore, the nation must move at the pace of innovation, not bureaucracy.

Dr. Noman emphasized that the success of the proposed institutions will depend on whether they are led by technocrats and industry experts or hampered by administrative obstacles.

He concluded that the private sector, especially startups and SMEs, should be incentivized with regulatory sandboxes, tax incentives, and access to public data to encourage adoption and innovation from the ground up, further mentioning international collaboration and the need to quickly align with global AI alliances to avoid becoming just data consumers.