PESHAWAR: Speaker of Afghanistan’s Wolesi Jirga – or lower house of parliament – welcomed the decision of Pakistani authorities to keep the Pak-Afghan Torkham border crossing functional 24/7 while talking to Islamabad’s ambassador in Kabul, Zahid Nasrullah, on Wednesday.
According to a statement released by the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul, Speaker Mir Rahman Rahmani also expressed his desire to visit Pakistan with a parliamentary delegation soon.
The ambassador congratulated Rahmani on becoming the Speaker of the House and on the 4th Presidential Election in Afghanistan.
“The Speaker thanked Pakistan for opening of 24/7 services at Torkham crossing point,” the statement said.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said on September 18 while inaugurating the 24-hour Torkham border crossing service that the step would increase the quantum of trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Torkham is located along the 2,500 km international border that separates the two countries and serves as a major transportation and shipping site. According to an estimate, about 10,000 people cross the border point every day.
Faiz Muhammad, President of Peshawar’s Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told Arab News that the administrations in Kabul and Islamabad should also explore measures to ease bilateral trade regime.
“Both countries need to liberalize bilateral trade and sign a free trade agreement,” he said. “Pakistan has done that with neighboring China.”
“The quantum of trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan is below $1 billion and it must be enhanced,” he added. “Currently, Afghanistan has levied additional duties on certain items which negatively impact Pakistan’s export.”
Senior Afghan politician appreciates Pakistan’s round-the-clock Torkham operations
Senior Afghan politician appreciates Pakistan’s round-the-clock Torkham operations
- Speaker of Afghanistan's Wolesi Jirga showed his appreciation in a meeting with Pakistan’s ambassador in Kabul
- Businessmen in Pakistan say the two countries should sign a free trade agreement
Pakistan invites investors, innovators to back tech partnerships, announces national AI event
- Indus AI Week 2026 to run Feb. 9–15 as IT minister cites inclusive AI policy launched last year
- The week-long event will bring together relevant officials, startups, investors and universities
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday invited foreign investors and technology innovators to engage with its emerging artificial intelligence ecosystem as the government announced a week-long national AI initiative aimed at accelerating adoption across the public and private sectors.
Federal Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the government would host Indus AI Week 2026 from Feb. 9 to 15, building on Pakistan’s National Artificial Intelligence Policy introduced last year to promote responsible use of the technology.
The announcement comes as Pakistan seeks to position itself as a credible participant in the global AI economy, amid growing interest from governments in the Global South to harness AI for productivity, skills development and innovation while managing regulatory and ethical risks.
“With the introduction of Pakistan’s National AI Policy last year, we laid the foundation for responsible and inclusive AI development,” Khawaja said, according to an official statement circulated by her ministry. “Indus AI Week reflects our determination to take that work further by moving beyond dialogue and toward adoption.”
“We invite international partners, investors and innovators to engage with Pakistan’s growing AI landscape,” she added.
The initiative will be organized by the IT ministry through a public-private partnership and is designed as an open national platform bringing together policymakers, technology firms, startups, universities, students and the wider public.
The program will include a national technology showcase, startup and innovation sessions linking founders with investors, skills training and certification opportunities and public engagement activities aimed at translating AI policy into practical use cases.
The week will open with the Indus AI Summit at Islamabad’s Jinnah Convention Center on Feb. 9, followed by an innovation and learning arena at the Islamabad Sports Complex on Feb. 9-10, with universities, companies and public institutions across the country hosting parallel events through Feb. 15.
