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ISLAMABAD, Aug 13 (APP): Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said on Wednesday that preparing Pakistan to meet future needs in artificial intelligence (AI) was a top priority.
Addressing the ceremony, Years Strong, Tech-Driven & Future Ready, organized on Pakistan’s 78th Independence Day, she said the world had entered a new “intelligent era” that was bringing revolutionary changes in every aspect of life.
“In the past, we transitioned from the analog to the digital age, and now we are moving from the digital to the intelligent era, which is transforming lifestyles, jobs, industries, education, and economies,” she said.
Shaza Fatima said that rapid advances in AI were significantly reshaping the global labour market, with major international companies laying off thousands of employees in recent months. In such circumstances, she stressed, Pakistan must equip its greatest strength — its youth — with skills to meet future challenges.
She said the government had formulated a comprehensive AI policy built on six key pillars, and nationwide training programmes had already been launched for its implementation.
These programmes, she added, had made AI-related skills a core component to help sectors like industry, finance, health, education, and agriculture remain competitive globally.
The minister informed that so far, three million young people had benefited from various training initiatives. However, she urged every individual to take personal responsibility for upskilling themselves by utilising available resources, time, and technology — even if it meant dedicating just 15 to 30 minutes a day.
“The digital age created equal opportunities for all, but in the intelligent age, only those with knowledge and skills will lead,” she said.
She said Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and his team had ensured special tax protection for the IT sector despite tough economic conditions and IMF requirements.
She also appreciated the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) for its support to industries and companies, as well as the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and the Pakistan Freelancers Association (PAFLA) for their contribution in addressing freelancers’ and remote workers’ concerns.
The minister said the IT sector grew by nearly 19 percent during last year financial year, reaching $3.8 billion in exports, while freelancers recorded an exceptional 91 percent annual growth. She called the sector “the future of our economy” and pledged continued government support.
She added that the federal government had digitized and streamlined official operations by implementing the e-Office system in 98 percent of ministries and departments within just six months.
Currently, all federal ministries and over 50 affiliated departments are operating paperless under the system, with the progress of every file accessible directly on the Prime Minister’s master dashboard.
The minister said the initiative had significantly reduced red tape and delays, as each file now had a complete digital trail and officers’ performance could be monitored transparently. The shift had also resulted in substantial savings in human resources, paper, and printing costs, prompting consideration of claiming carbon credits.
Highlighting international recognition, she said Pakistan had been ranked by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) as the top country in narrowing the gender gap in mobile internet usage. The gap had dropped from 36 percent to 25 percent, with nearly eight million women using the internet for the first time during 2024-25.
She added that, on the Prime Minister’s directive, the Ramadan Subsidy Programme adopted digital payments for the first time. Out of Rs 20 billion allocated, Rs 16 billion were transferred directly to eligible beneficiaries within a month, while the remaining Rs 4 billion returned to the national treasury without leakage. Over 850,000 women created digital wallets during the programme, using them not only to receive subsidies but also to make purchases and transactions.
“These achievements prove that the people of Pakistan have the capacity to adopt digital technology — they only need encouragement and proper guidance,” Shaza Fatima said, adding that the government aimed to further strengthen the digital economy and e-governance to modernize the country’s economy and administrative framework.
The minister announced that the government would shift all government and citizen services to fully digital platforms before the next Independence Day, eliminating the need for queues and lengthy paperwork.
She said Pakistan had already established a system of digital identities, developed a national data exchange layer, and was rapidly advancing its “Pakistan Stack” initiative.
She informed that a portal was under development, enabling people to access all government services online — from paying electricity bills and renewing ID cards to verifying academic degrees.
“This project will remove the need for citizens to stand in long queues for ID card processing or degree verification,” she said, adding that the move would modernize not only citizen services but also the country’s economy and governance.
Shaza Fatima said that NADRA and PTA were the government’s close partners in this digital transformation, while the Ministry of IT, National IT Board, and Board of Investment were also playing key roles.
She said that the goal was to deliver a large-scale national digital transformation agenda benefiting businesses, citizens, and governance alike.
Recalling a landmark achievement, the minister said that Pakistan undertook groundbreaking digital legislation in January this year and that the government was committed to ensuring its effective implementation rather than letting it remain on paper.
Reflecting on Independence Day, she said Pakistan’s Independence Day was a reminder of countless sacrifices, the tireless struggle of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and the realization of Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s vision.
The minister said the country was founded 78 years ago as a free homeland to fulfil the aspirations of a united nation, enabling its people to pursue their dreams in freedom.
Since independence, she added, Pakistan had faced many highs and lows, endured difficult times, and fought major wars and battles against terrorism. “We fought wars with a neighbouring country and made countless sacrifices in the war against terrorism,” she said.
Calling the day both a celebration and a renewal of commitment, Shaza Fatima said the nation’s history of sacrifice should inspire unity, hard work for national development, and a pledge to hand over a strong, prosperous, and peaceful Pakistan to future generations.