Islamabad, July 2025 — In a landmark move aimed at steering Pakistan into the digital age with purpose and responsibility, the federal cabinet has approved the country’s first National Artificial Intelligence Policy. Framed as more than a technological strategy, the policy represents a nationwide commitment to ethical innovation, inclusive development, and international competitiveness.
This isn’t just another bureaucratic paper trail. The AI Policy 2025 marks a pivot in how Pakistan engages with emerging technologies—not just as a user but as a potential leader.
A Policy Born from Dialogue, Not Directives
Rather than being cooked up in back rooms by technocrats, this policy was crafted through a rare and rigorous participatory process. It brought together a cross-section of Pakistani society: tech companies, government departments, academics, civil society actors—even the military. The process, led by the National AI Policy Committee and backed by the Ministry of IT and Telecom, reflected a consultative ethos.
Minister of State Shaza Fatima Khawaja played a critical role in keeping the initiative on the cabinet’s agenda, ensuring it remained a national—not just ministerial—priority. Contributors ranged from local stakeholders like the Higher Education Commission and provincial IT boards to global players such as Google, UNESCO, and GSMA, who helped sharpen the policy’s global relevance.
One participant from Balochistan captured the broader ambition well: “This policy will matter when our girls can code in Khuzdar.” That kind of grounded aspiration became the emotional compass for the entire effort.
What Makes Pakistan’s AI Blueprint Stand Out?
While several South Asian nations have launched AI strategies, Pakistan’s offering is notable for its comprehensiveness and clarity. This isn’t a patchwork of pilot projects or vague ambitions—it’s a national framework with a six-pillar foundation:
- Innovation First: The policy outlines support for AI research, startups, and venture capital. It aims to seed a self-sustaining ecosystem rather than rely on imported solutions.
- Skilling the Nation: Expect to see broad-based training initiatives—public sector upskilling, digital literacy campaigns, and scholarships, especially targeting women and underserved groups.
- Ethics and Oversight: With concerns around data misuse and bias looming large globally, Pakistan’s policy emphasizes transparency, human oversight, and ethical governance. It includes provisions like an open-source AI governance model, regulatory sandboxes, and a national registry for AI tools used in the public sector.
- Sector-Wide Integration: From agriculture to education and healthcare to energy, AI is positioned as a catalyst for smarter, more efficient public services. The goal isn’t just modernization but targeted transformation.
- Digital Infrastructure: Plans include building national AI data repositories, high-performance computing clusters, and homegrown large language models. Major cities will host AI hubs to connect universities, government, and industry.
- Global Cooperation: Pakistan aims to be an active player in the international AI space, aligning with global standards and forging partnerships that promote ethical, collaborative innovation.
Aligned, Not Isolated
Unlike policies that operate in silos, the AI Policy is tightly woven into Pakistan’s broader digital governance fabric. It aligns with existing frameworks like the Digital Pakistan Policy, National Cyber Security Policy, and the Personal Data Protection Bill—ensuring coherence rather than duplication.
Crucially, it also confronts the social risks that often accompany technological change. Gender divides, algorithmic discrimination, and access disparities are front-and-center issues—not buried in footnotes.
Looking Ahead: Opportunity with Accountability
The stakes are high. By some estimates, successful AI integration could boost Pakistan’s GDP by up to 12% by 2030 and generate millions of new jobs. But the real victory lies in how the technology is used—not just to streamline governance or supercharge economic growth, but to serve people in ways that are just and equitable.
As AI becomes a defining feature of the global economy, Pakistan is positioning itself to shape—not just survive—the future. The challenge now is execution. Policies mean little without political will, funding, and institutional follow-through.
The policy’s authors are clear-eyed about this. “This is not the end of a process,” said one committee member. “It’s the beginning of a transformation.”
And that transformation, if successful, will mean more than coding bootcamps or chatbot services—it could redefine what digital sovereignty and inclusive innovation look like in the Global South.
