ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday held a video call with Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Amer Al-Swaha to discuss bilateral cooperation in the field of information technology.
According to an official handout circulated by the foreign office of Pakistan, Qureshi highlighted the significance of information technology for the two countries since they both have significantly large segments of youthful population.
“Foreign Minister Qureshi underlined the historic and deep-rooted fraternal ties, which form the basis of enhanced cooperation in all fields between the two countries,” the statement said. “He said that the two countries shared the focus on development of information technology, which was the need of the modern digital age.”
Qureshi also added that “the two countries had a wide-ranging scope of expanding ties and enhancing collaboration in this field, which could be mutually beneficial for both.”
The Saudi minister reciprocated the warm feelings and echoed the sentiments of the Foreign Minister, terming Pakistan as a close brotherly country.
“The two Ministers agreed to enhance bilateral ties and continue close collaboration on all matters of mutual interest,” said the statement.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia to strengthen cooperation in information technology
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Pakistan, Saudi Arabia to strengthen cooperation in information technology
- In a video call with Saudi commerce minister, FM Qureshi emphasizes IT’s significance for the youthful populations of the two countries
- The two ministers agreed to enhance bilateral ties and continue close collaboration in all possible areas of their interest
Pakistan mulls 'Super App' for public services, document verification in major technology push
- Pakistan has been urging technology adoption in public, private sectors as it seeks to become a key tech player globally
- The country this month launched the Indus AI Week to harness technology for productivity, skills development and innovation
KARACHI: Pakistan is planning to launch a “Super App” to deliver public services and enable digital document verification, the country's information technology (IT) minister said on Sunday, amid a major push for technology adoption in public and private sectors.
Pakistan, a country of 240 million people, seeks to become a key participant in the global tech economy, amid growing interest from governments in the Global South to harness advanced technologies for productivity, skills development and innovation.
The country's information and communications technology (ICT) exports hit a record $437 million in Dec. last year, according to IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja. This constituted a 23% increase month on month and a 26% increase year on year.
Pakistan's technology sector is also advancing in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing, marked by the launch of Pakistan’s first sovereign AI cloud in November, designed to keep sensitive data domestic and support growth in the broader digital ecosystem.
“In developed countries, citizens can access all government services from a mobile phone,” Fatima said, announcing plans for the Super App at an event in Karachi where more than 7,000 students had gathered for an AI training entrance test as part of the ‘Indus AI Week.’
“We will strive to provide similar facilities in the coming years.”
Khawaja said the app will reduce the need for in-person visits to government offices such as the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
The Indus AI Week initiative, which ran from Feb. 9 till Feb. 15. was aimed at positioning Pakistan as a key future participant in the global AI revolution, according to the IT minister.
At the opening of the weeklong initiative, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that Pakistan would invest $1 billion in AI by 2030 to modernize the South Asian nation’s digital economy.
“These initiatives aim to strengthen national AI infrastructure and make the best use of our human resource,” Khawaja said, urging young Pakistanis to become creators, inventors and innovators rather than just being the consumers of technology.
