ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday condemned the killing of a policeman in a militant attack in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, ordering authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The statement came after unidentified militants attacked a police check-post in the Kurram tribal district and killed one policeman and injured another, according to the police.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
“Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the police check-post in Kurram area and directed authorities to identify those responsible for the attack and punish them,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.
The prime minister asked officials to ensure the provision of best medical facilities to the injured policeman.
The northwestern Pakistani province, which borders Afghanistan, has been the scene of a number of attacks on police, security forces and anti-polio vaccination teams in recent months.
Pakistan initially witnessed a spike in militant violence in its two western provinces, KP and Balochistan, since the Pakistani Taliban called off their fragile truce with the government in November 2022. The group has intensified its attacks recently.
Islamabad blames the latest surge in violence on neighboring Afghanistan, saying Pakistani Taliban leaders have taken refuge there and run camps to train insurgents to launch attacks inside Pakistan. The Afghan Taliban rulers in Kabul say rising violence in Pakistan is a domestic issue for Islamabad and it does not allow militants to operate on its territory.
The latest death has brought the total number of police killings in ambushes and targeted attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this year to 69, according to an Arab News tally.
PM condemns policeman’s killing in northwest Pakistan, orders arrest of perpetrators
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PM condemns policeman’s killing in northwest Pakistan, orders arrest of perpetrators
- Unidentified militants attacked a police check-post in the Kurram tribal district, killing one policeman and injuring another
- Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan, has been the scene of a number of attacks on police in recent months
Pakistan top IT association backs $1 billion AI plan announced at Indus Summit
- Private sector pledges support for AI push, calls tech sector engine of future growth
- Government to fund 1,000 AI PhDs, train one million professionals under digital strategy
KARACHI: Pakistan’s main software industry association on Tuesday backed the government’s plan to invest $1 billion in artificial intelligence by 2030, pledging private-sector support for what officials describe as a national push toward digital transformation.
The commitment was announced during Indus AI Week in Islamabad, held earlier this month, where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif outlined plans to fund artificial intelligence development, including scholarships and workforce training.
The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), representing IT exporters and technology firms, said the private sector would play a central role in implementing the strategy.
“The IT sector is no longer merely a participant in Pakistan’s economy,” said Sajjad Syed, the association’s chairman, in a statement. “It is the fundamental engine of our future growth.”
“The commitments made at the Indus AI Summit provide a much-needed, evidence-based structural framework,” he added. “P@SHA, representing the collective strength of Pakistan’s software and tech enterprises, stands fully prepared to translate this policy into export-driven, practical realities.”
Syed said the integration of AI was no longer optional, describing it as a “matter of global survival and economic sovereignty.”
The government said the initiative includes funding for 1,000 PhD scholarships in artificial intelligence and a federal mandate to train one million non-IT professionals in advanced technology skills.
The Indus AI Week event drew participation from local and international technology companies, universities, and investors, according to organizers. It included technical bootcamps and industry panels aimed at accelerating AI adoption.
Pakistan’s IT exports reached $2.2 billion in July–December FY26, marking a 20 percent year-on-year increase, the statement said, as the country seeks to expand its technology sector to support foreign exchange earnings.
The AI push comes as Islamabad looks to modernize its digital infrastructure and attract technology investment while positioning the country as a competitive player in emerging technologies.
