LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, during her visit to China, had a meeting with high-level delegation of leading Chinese Technology Company Alibaba Cloud, which expressed keen interest in Punjab’s IT sector.
The Alibaba Cloud officials appreciated Punjab’s AI-based governance initiatives. The meeting discussed the use of artificial intelligence in agriculture, healthcare, socio-economic programmes and climate forecasting, while the possibility of establishing a strategic partnership for the use of AI in public services was also considered.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said that Punjab’s governance system was being integrated with artificial intelligence.
“We are pursuing a policy of using artificial intelligence and other technologies today rather than tomorrow,” she said.
The chief minister said Punjab was building the world’s largest public-sector cancer hospital.
She said Punjab had become the first province to establish an artificial intelligence policy.
“The idea of teaching artificial intelligence to children in government schools came after seeing students in Beijing,” she said, adding that Punjab would welcome Chinese cooperation in artificial intelligence and other IT technologies.
Maryam Nawaz said Punjab had the fourth largest young and skilled workforce and was a leader in terms of the digital economy.
She said not only government officers and officials but also members of the provincial cabinet had been provided AI training.
Alibaba Cloud Senior Vice President Li Jiaping briefed the chief minister about the company’s operations. Matters relating to small and medium enterprises for overseas Pakistanis were also discussed during the meeting.
Li Jiaping termed the signing of the MoU in the presence of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif a welcome development.
Speaking during the meeting, the Alibaba Cloud senior vice president said artificial intelligence was being used for media campaigns and medical training.
He said AI could play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. He added that discussions were underway for establishing a data centre in Pakistan.
Provincial Advisor on Artificial Intelligence Ali Mustafa Dar briefed the meeting on Punjab’s AI initiatives.
He said AI education had been made mandatory from Grade 1 in Punjab.
“AI is being successfully used in the Safe Cities Authority, agriculture, healthcare, education and infrastructure sectors,” Ali Mustafa Dar said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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