Sidelines of WTDC: Shaza holds series of high-level meetings

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reaffirmed its ambition to become the region’s strategic digital hub, as Federal Minister for IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja held a series of high-level meetings on the sidelines of the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC).

During a meeting with International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, the minister said Pakistan is “fully prepared” to host an ITU office, noting that the country’s geographic position, expanding digital infrastructure and talent base make it ideally placed to serve as a regional ICT centre.

Shaza Fatima highlighted the progress of the Smart Village Pakistan Programme, calling it a “shared milestone” between Pakistan and the ITU. She proposed multi-year support from the organisation to scale the model nationwide, emphasising its role in improving e-health, digital education and agri-tech services in underserved communities.

The minister said that expanding the Smart Village framework across Pakistan is essential for inclusive development, adding that the programme had already demonstrated strong results in remote regions.

Separately, Shaza Fatima held an important bilateral meeting with Iranian Minister of Communications and Information Technology Sattar Hashemi. The two sides discussed the IT and telecom MoU signed during the recent presidential visit and agreed to strengthen cooperation through a joint working group and a dedicated business forum.

Both countries also stressed the need for immediate technical coordination to operationalise Pakistan–Iran fibre-optic connectivity, terming it a priority for regional digital integration.

In addition, the federal minister gave an interview to ARB 24, where she said that true inclusion in artificial intelligence will only be achieved when participation from every country and community becomes essential. She added that Pakistan is moving forward under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Digital Nation Vision, which places AI-driven development and equitable access at its core.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025