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At Leap 2025, Pakistan to showcase commitment to digitally empowered future

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Updated 08 February 2025
Arab News
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At Leap 2025, Pakistan to showcase commitment to digitally empowered future

Updated 08 February 2025
Arab News

Pakistan is making bold strides in the global tech landscape, emerging as a key player in artificial intelligence, digital finance, and startup innovation. As the nation prepares to take the spotlight at LEAP 2025 in Riyadh from Feb. 9-12, it presents a compelling narrative of digital transformation, investment potential, and technological excellence. This marks Pakistan’s biggest ever participation at an international event with over 100 companies and 1,000+ delegates on board, showcasing a booming IT industry, progressive policies, and a rapidly growing talent pool that is poised for unprecedented growth in the digital economy.

A digital nation on the rise

At the heart of Pakistan’s transformation is the Digital Nation Pakistan Act. This landmark policy is designed to bolster innovation, attract both foreign and domestic investment, and empower entrepreneurs. By strengthening digital infrastructure, enhancing cybersecurity, and nurturing a knowledge-driven economy, the DNP Act is positioning Pakistan as a premier destination for global tech players looking for new markets and opportunities. Working under the proactive guidance of the Ministry of IT and Telecom, alongside the broader Digital Pakistan Policy, these initiatives are cultivating an environment where technology fuels every aspect of economic and social development.

A strategic tech partnership

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan share a long-standing relationship that is now evolving into a powerful alliance in technology and innovation. Both nations are increasingly exploring avenues for collaboration in digital transformation and tech-driven projects. Early initiatives and discussions ranging from cybersecurity and smart infrastructure to startup investments, signal a growing commitment to shared growth. Moreover, Pakistan’s robust business ties with the Kingdom are underscored by the significant presence of Pakistani companies operating in Saudi Arabia, further strengthening economic bonds and opening up new markets for innovation.

A unified digital vision for LEAP

In line with LEAP’s focus on shaping the future of technology, Pakistan is presenting a unified digital vision that weaves together its advancements in AI, fintech, and digital solutions. A key component of this vision is the work undertaken by the National Center of Artificial Intelligence, a collaborative network of research labs across leading universities. The NCAI has already developed over 221 AI-driven solutions that are transforming sectors such as healthcare, media monitoring, and intelligent transportation. By integrating AI into its digital strategy, Pakistan strengthens its commitment to innovation and leadership in emerging tech.

A flourishing startup ecosystem

Pakistan’s startup landscape is experiencing remarkable growth. With over $800 million raised in venture capital funding in recent years, the nation’s entrepreneurial spirit is evident in its dynamic ecosystem. A youthful, tech-savvy population combined with forward-thinking policies and an investor-friendly climate has given rise to groundbreaking startups in fintech, edtech, AI, and e-commerce. At LEAP 2025 in Riyadh, Pakistan will not only showcase its vibrant startup ecosystem from its dedicated pavilion but is also expecting to generate approximately $15 million in business over the next year.

A vision for digital empowerment

Pakistan’s commitment to digital empowerment spans all sectors. Government initiatives, led by the Ministry of IT and Telecom, are driving the adoption of smart technologies in education, healthcare, and public services, ensuring that the benefits of digital innovation reach every corner of society. This strategic approach is designed to create an ecosystem where technology acts as a catalyst for inclusive growth, enhanced quality of life, and sustainable development. By nurturing local talent and fostering innovation hubs, Pakistan is building a resilient digital economy that is ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

Why Pakistan? 

Several factors make Pakistan an attractive hub for technology and innovation:

  • Strategic location: Positioned as a gateway to South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia, Pakistan offers access to diverse and emerging markets.
  • World-class talent: With over 600,000 IT professionals and more than 75,000 IT graduates entering the workforce annually, Pakistan boasts a robust talent pool ready to drive technological advancements.
  • Proactive policies: The government’s commitment to digital transformation is reflected in its investor-friendly regulations, special tech zones, and substantial incentives for startups and tech companies.
  • Expanding digital infrastructure: Rapidly growing broadband access, advanced research hubs, and cloud computing developments are laying the groundwork for a future-ready digital ecosystem.

A call to global innovators

Pakistan is not only transforming its own digital landscape but is also building bridges with key partners like Saudi Arabia to catalyze regional innovation. This strategic collaboration is opening up exciting opportunities for cross-border investments, joint research projects, and talent exchanges that promise to accelerate technological advancements on both sides.

At LEAP 2025 in Riyadh, Pakistan extends an open invitation to investors, innovators, and tech leaders to join in its extraordinary journey toward a digitally empowered future. With its robust ecosystem, forward-looking policies, and strong international partnerships, Pakistan is ready to shape the future of technology for generations to come.

Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet advances climate resilience in Bangladesh

Updated 20 January 2026
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Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet advances climate resilience in Bangladesh

Updated 20 January 2026

The Jameel Observatory Climate Resilience Early Warning System Network, an initiative co-founded by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Community Jameel to reinvent climate change adaptation in vulnerable communities into a proactive, integrated and evidence-based process, announced the launch of its Adaptation Fortress initiative, transforming existing cyclone shelters and providing protection from heat waves in Bangladesh for the first time.
The first Adaptation Fortress is under construction in Satkhira district, southwest Bangladesh. If this pilot is successful, the initiative will open a pathway, with additional funding, to scaling up to 1,250 Adaptation Fortresses providing heatwave relief to half a million of the region’s most vulnerable residents.
More than 30 million people live in southwestern Bangladesh. Between 2019 and 2021, including in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple cyclones hit the region, devastating land, homes and entire communities. The threats posed by climate change — rising sea levels and more extreme weather — mean that people living in this region are likely to face similar crises in the years ahead. In addition to cyclones, extreme heat is a growing threat, putting people at risk of dehydration and heatstroke. In 2024, the UN found that heat waves caused nationwide school closures for two weeks, with some schools closing for six to eight weeks due to the combined impact of heat waves and flooding.
In Bangladesh, the Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet has used its mid-century climate projections and analysis of local human systems to design a pilot for a multi-purpose, multi-objective structure called an Adaptation Fortress.
By engaging extensively with local communities, the Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet, which includes among its partners BRAC, a global nongovernmental organization established in Bangladesh, is demonstrating a new model of climate adaptation that repurposes schools that are also cyclone shelters to serve as sanctuaries during extreme heat events.
The climate resilient shelter model is the first of its kind in Bangladesh and serves as a blueprint for infrastructure development across South Asia. Designed to protect the most vulnerable community members during government-declared heat emergencies, Adaptation Fortresses feature solar power generation and battery backup systems to ensure the shelter is resilient to outages during extreme heat conditions. The site also includes rainwater harvesting capacity and is designed so that excess energy generated when air conditioning is not in use is made available for community use.
Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel KBE, founder and chairman of Community Jameel, said: “The Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet’s construction of this first pilot Adaptation Fortress marks a milestone for Bangladesh and the region. It lays the foundation for a proactive response to cyclones and heat stress — emergencies that the team has projected will become frequent events, threatening the lives of millions in Bangladesh. By adapting infrastructure today, we are building the resilience needed for tomorrow.”
Professor Elfatih Eltahir, lead principal investigator of the Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet, said: “Bangladesh built a vast network of cyclone shelters that have been effective in protecting vulnerable populations. For the first time the Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet is introducing the concept of shelter from heat waves as well as cyclones in southwest Bangladesh. This integrated and proactive initiative will significantly improve climate resilience in a region with some of the highest risks from climate change.”
Dr. Deborah Campbell, executive director of the Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet, said: “Bangladesh is getting hotter and will experience more frequent and severe heat waves, leaving many people very vulnerable to heat stress and lacking the resources to adapt. The Adaptation Fortress initiative will provide shelter for the most vulnerable community members in southwest Bangladesh and has the potential to serve as a model for similar proactive climate resilience infrastructure development across Bangladesh and South Asia.”
Dr. Md Liakath Ali, principal investigator of the Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet at BRAC, said: “BRAC is proud to partner with the Jameel Observatory-CREWSnet in pioneering the Adaptation Fortress initiative, an important step toward protecting vulnerable communities from the growing risks of extreme heat in coastal Bangladesh. By transforming existing cyclone shelters into multi-purpose, climate-resilient infrastructure, we are demonstrating how locally grounded solutions can address emerging climate hazards while strengthening community well-being. Alongside the pilot, we are committed to engaging policy makers so that future heat and climate risks are integrated into national planning processes. The lessons from this initiative will not only support communities in the southwest, but also inform long-term, scalable strategies for resilience across the country.”

 

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