AI, robotics, space innovation, drone and anti-drone engineering: ‘Pakistan aligning itself with rapid technological advancements’

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has said that artificial intelligence (AI) offers a historic opportunity to transform Pakistan’s youth bulge into a highly skilled technological workforce, empower local businesses to compete globally, and convert governance systems into transparent and data-driven engines of sustainable development.

Addressing a ceremony in Islamabad on Friday, the Minister emphasized that nations mastering emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum computing, and autonomous space systems will dominate the global economy in the decades ahead.He noted that Pakistan is actively aligning itself with rapid technological advancements in AI, robotics, space innovation, drone and anti-drone engineering, reflecting the country’s ambition to participate confidently in shaping the future technological landscape.

Ahsan Iqbal said the government’s flagship “Uraan Pakistan” vision is fully aligned with this ambition and is structured around the five strategic pillars, or “Es”: Exports, E-Pakistan, Environment and Climate Change, Energy and Infrastructure, and Equity and Empowerment.

Highlighting the growing importance of satellite technology, the Minister said that more than 9,000 satellites currently orbiting the Earth are transforming economies worldwide and saving countless lives through disaster management, climate monitoring, and early-warning systems.

He stressed that Pakistan, being among the most climate-vulnerable countries, stands to gain immense benefits from satellite-based technologies, particularly in strengthening disaster resilience, improving climate forecasting, and supporting sustainable development planning.

The Minister further announced that the government plans to establish three Centers of Excellence, including a National Centre for Quantum Computing and a National Centre for Nanotechnology, aimed at modernizing the national economy by adopting breakthrough technologies associated with the Fourth and Fifth Industrial Revolutions.

He added that concrete steps are also underway to develop a new Silicon Valley in Pakistan, envisioned as a hub for innovation that will foster cross-fertilization of ideas by bringing together talent, research institutions, startups, and industry under one integrated ecosystem.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025