ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday invited social media giant Meta to collaborate on artificial intelligence (AI) ethics, digital safety and e-commerce standards, said an official statement, as part of the government’s push to expand its digital economy and integrate AI governance into national trade policy.
The invitation came during a meeting between a Meta delegation, led by Rafael Frankel, the company’s Director for Public Policy (South Asia), and Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan in the federal capital.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has been expanding its footprint in South Asia through programs supporting small businesses and digital literacy.
“Pakistan’s digital economy is among the fastest-growing in South Asia, powered by a youthful population, growing connectivity and a strong IT talent base,” the minister said, according to the statement circulated after the meeting, adding the government was finalizing the National E-Commerce Policy to expand the market to $20 billion by 2030.
“We invite Meta to collaborate through the Ministry’s IT Sectoral Council on areas such as AI ethics, digital safety and e-commerce standards,” he added.
Khan said Pakistan’s IT and IT-enabled services exports rose 18% in the last fiscal year to $3.8 billion and had grown a further 21% year-on-year in the first quarter of FY2026.
He urged Meta to partner with Pakistan in youth-focused AI skilling programs and explore a Meta-Pakistan E-Commerce Accelerator Pilot to promote digital entrepreneurship.
The visiting Meta official commended Pakistan’s progress in digital transformation, according to the statement, saying the company was keen to expand cooperation in “AI-driven innovation, skills development and SME support.”
Both sides agreed to continue working closely to promote innovation, safe online practices and economic empowerment through technology.
