Islamabad:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday paid tribute to about $ 700 million in new foreign investments in the IT sector and called on international stakeholders to continue supporting Pakistan’s journey as it was ready to lead the global digital economy.
The Prime Minister approached the digital foreign direct investment (DFDI-20125) conference here and declared that Pakistan “did not wait for the future but shaped it.”
The conference participating in global tech leaders, investors and innovation champions marked a significant step in Pakistan’s emergence as a key player in the global digital economy.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shared in his initial Keynote address from his four decades in public service and observed “The Change of Global Dynamics driven by Digital Transformation.”
He confirmed the government’s obligation to place Pakistan as the next major technical destination in the world. “Our youth, between the ages of 15 and 30, make up 60% of the population. They are the architects of our digital future,” the prime minister said.
He highlighted the government’s strategic initiatives, including the launch of federal and provincial IT parks, incubation centers and a large-scale R&D ecosystem.
He announced a new partnership with global technology giant Huawei, who trains 200,000 boys and girls annually through a common skills development program.
He said, in March this year, Pakistan received a record -breaking $ 4.1 billion in foreign transfers and signalized growing confidence in the country’s digital potential.
“We are not just building a digital economy – we create a digital Pakistan. From transforming agriculture through AI to expanding exports with smart technology, this moment for global investors is to join us,” he said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz also invited the world to invest, guide and grow with Pakistan. Together we will make Pakistan a leading light in the digital era, ”he added.
Separately instructed the Prime Minister on Tuesday the relevant authorities to immediately initiate work with the possibility of a rail link between Pakistan and Kazakhstan, which aimed to improve regional connection and trade.
He issued these directives during a meeting with Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport, Marat Karabayev, in PM’s house.
During the meeting, the prime minister expanded his best wishes to the president of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, remembering his productive interaction with him under the World Water Summit held in Saudi Arabia.
He expressed eager expectation of President Tokayev’s upcoming visit to Pakistan and described it as an important step towards strengthening bilateral ties.
The Prime Minister said the proposed railway link would be a “game election” for the entire region as it would connect the Central Asian states directly to Pakistan’s Gwadar port, which improves trade routes and financial opportunities.
