Islamabad, February 10, 2026 – The Europe Today: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced that the government will invest $1 billion in the country’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector by 2030, aiming to build a future-ready digital economy and empower the youth of Pakistan.
Addressing the inaugural session of Indus AI Week, the prime minister said the investment would help establish a robust national AI ecosystem. He announced that AI curriculum would be introduced in all federally run schools, while 1,000 fully funded PhD scholarships in AI would be offered to students nationwide by 2030. In addition, a countrywide programme would be launched to train one million non-IT professionals in AI skills to enhance productivity and improve livelihoods.
“Pakistan is absolutely ready to accept the challenge and work with our global partners with great commitment and dedication,” the prime minister said, highlighting artificial intelligence as a key driver of future growth.
He noted that AI interventions would initially focus on priority sectors including agriculture, mines and minerals, industry, commerce, trade, and youth empowerment. With a population of around 240 million, nearly 60 percent of whom are young, he stressed the urgency of equipping the youth with modern knowledge and advanced technological skills.
Responding to concerns among IT professionals about rapid technological change, Prime Minister Sharif assured that government-led initiatives would help transform IT technicians into AI experts. He said such measures could unlock unprecedented gains in agricultural yield, quality and efficiency, as well as spur industrial growth and women’s empowerment.
Citing ongoing digital reforms, the prime minister said Pakistan had already demonstrated its readiness for advanced technologies. He referred to the digitisation of the Federal Board of Revenue, improved revenue recovery through data-driven systems, and the deployment of modern scanners and digital instruments at ports to curb smuggling. “We are recovering lost revenues through technology and providing quality training to our young men and women in agriculture, commerce and trade,” he said.
Recalling earlier reforms under the leadership of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister said the current push towards AI builds on past digital initiatives, including laptop distribution programmes for high achievers in Punjab, the establishment of e-libraries in remote areas, the introduction of e-stamp papers, and the digitisation of land records in partnership with the World Bank, which helped reduce corruption.
He also highlighted that Pakistan’s first Safe City project and first IT university were established in Lahore. “We have learned from the past, and today Pakistan is ready to join the world in AI interventions,” he added.
Minister for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja said Indus AI Week aims to strengthen coordination among universities, government institutions and international companies, underscoring Pakistan’s full commitment to a digital revolution. She added that the Pakistan Digital Authority is preparing a nationwide digital master plan to guide future transformation.
Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, in his remarks, said the world has entered an era where intelligence itself has become a factor of production, with nations competing on ideas, talent, data and technology rather than commodities. He described artificial intelligence as a bigger disruptor than electricity or the internet, noting that Pakistan’s engagement with technology began more than two decades ago with early IT policies, the establishment of NADRA, and large-scale investment in advanced human capital.
