ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, met with a delegation from Google’s Regional AI Developer Ecosystem and Communities team on Friday, reaffirming the government’s strategic focus on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into Pakistan’s education system and workforce development plans.
Strengthening AI in Pakistan
The meeting centered around expanding access to AI education, building local developer communities, and strengthening Pakistan’s presence in the global digital economy. The Google team briefed the minister on regional community initiatives and projects already active in Pakistan, including contributions to platforms such as Taleemabad.
Shaza Fatima highlighted the government’s three-pronged AI policy framework:
- Education integration – embedding AI into the national curriculum from early education to university level;
- Workforce training – focusing on freelancers, upskilling youth, and AI-driven entrepreneurship;
- Sectoral innovation – using AI to drive growth in healthcare, agriculture, and government services.
Government and Industry Partnerships
She reiterated the state’s commitment to working with private tech leaders like Google to accelerate digital skills training. Ongoing initiatives such as the “AI Seekho” programme, sandbox environments for developers, and access to cloud credits are designed to foster innovation and inclusivity in the tech ecosystem.
Honouring Pakistani Talent
The minister also met with Pakistan’s N+1 team, which was recently named among the top 10 global teams in the Google Solution Challenge. She praised the team’s achievement and stressed the importance of mentoring and investment in young innovators to sustain future success.
AI Faculty Training Underway
Shaza Fatima also chaired a high-level meeting on the Faculty AI Training Programme, which is being implemented in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Meta, and the National Computing Education Accreditation Council (NCEAC). The program aims to train over 1,000 non-technical faculty in AI soft skills and certify 250–500 technical faculty in AI development and applications.
Upcoming Events
As part of Google’s ongoing community engagement, Google I/O Extended developer events are being held in Islamabad this weekend, with a follow-up planned for Lahore on July 26.
Broadening Access to Certifications
The government has also announced its plan to offer 500,000 Google and Microsoft certifications across the country in 2025. Additionally, curriculum changes will introduce basic AI education in primary schools, further anchoring digital skills at the foundational level.
Conclusion
The meeting between the Ministry of IT and Google’s AI team reflects a shared commitment to expanding digital capacity in Pakistan. With broad-based initiatives spanning education, upskilling, and sectoral innovation, the government aims to make Pakistan a leading contributor to the global AI landscape.
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