Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja was invited by Director General ISSRA to address participants of the 27th National Security Workshop (NSW) at the Institute for Strategic Studies, Research and Analysis (ISSRA) at the National Defence University (NDU). Members of national and provincial assemblies, entrepreneurs, journalists and representatives of civil society attended the session.
Speaking on the topic “Pakistan’s IT Potential: Opportunities and Challenges,” the Minister underscored that Pakistan’s digital sector is now a foundational asset for economic security, strategic resilience, and global competitiveness.
The Minister highlighted strong support from the Prime Minister, Field Marshal, Federal Cabinet and the SIFC, reaffirming that digital transformation is now embedded in Pakistan’s national security and economic resilience agenda. She stressed that federal and provincial governments, industry, academia, and international partners are jointly advancing an inclusive and future-ready digital ecosystem.
Shaza Fatima outlined the national framework driving Pakistan’s digital shift: Tech-Destination Pakistan, focused on building the IT industry and expanding exports; and Digital Nation Pakistan, centered on digital economy, digital society and digital governance. Supporting these pillars are three cross-cutting domains of telecom, cyber-security, and artificial intelligence.
She cited the strengthening of Pakistan’s digital ecosystem, including 43 Software Technology Parks, repurposed malls now hosting over 400 tech companies, and a nationwide network of 85 incubators supporting innovation. The startup landscape has grown significantly, with 4,100+ startups supported, 8 National Incubation Centers, 2 CEGA centers, and strong international representation across the USA, UK, Canada, UAE, KSA, Azerbaijan, Germany, and Jordan.
Highlighting recent achievements, Federal Minister noted the Pakistan Startup Fund is offering equity-free grants, with MoITT contributing up to 30% of each round. BridgeStart sending 13 startups to international accelerators, and programs such as the Prime Minister Cloud Program, DigiSkills 3.0 training 4.3 million Pakistanis, and the Prime Minister’s SkillTech Initiative. She further outlined key national reforms including updated HEC IT & AI curricula, the semiconductor initiative training 7,200 chip-design professionals, and emerging collaborations such as TikTok’s STEM Feed and Meta’s AI-in-Urdu program. She also announced that Google has officially completed its registration and formal requirements to open its office in Pakistan, calling it a major breakthrough for the technology sector. She noted that the Ministry of IT and Google have signed a dedicated MoU focused on advanced digital skills, training, and global-standard capacity building for Pakistani talent . She also highlighted innovation events including the AI Wrapper Competition, Cyber-security Hackathon, and new Ignite-funded initiatives such as WISE Lab, Code4AI, and SAP-based training programs. On the global front, Pakistan actively showcased its digital vision at WAIC Shanghai, LEAP Riyadh, the DCO General Assembly Amman, AI for Good Summit Geneva, GITEX Global 2025, and multiple bilateral and multilateral engagements securing new partnerships and over US$700 million in digital investments.
Referring to Marka-e-Haq, she stated that Pakistan’s victory was a historic demonstration of national unity and technological strength. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Shareef and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, the three armed forces, government institutions, and the private sector came together on one platform. The Ministry of IT, PTA, the forces, and leading private cyber experts jointly strengthened the country’s cyber defences, and Pakistan’s cyber-security specialists delivered exceptional performance. She added that this collective success showcased Pakistan’s capabilities on the global stage and reinforced the country’s resolve to continuously enhance its cyber readiness. Concluding, the Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to becoming a modern, secure, and globally competitive digital nation.
