Pakistan’s IT firms to support govt’s policy for AI-driven growth

The representative body of Pakistan’s IT companies has endorsed the federal government’s strategic framework for artificial intelligence and pledged support to lead the AI-driven change.

In a statement, the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) has also welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement of a $1 billion national investment in AI by 2030.

The statement was issued after the inaugural Indus AI Summit 2026, held in Islamabad last week.

P@SHA said the event was sponsored by the IT industry — 25 major national and international tech companies featured in the event with over 100,000 participants attending more than 40 specialized tech events.

The organization also hosted a networking dinner with Federal Minister for IT & Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja as the chief guest. She appreciated the export performance of the IT industry, which hit $2.2 billion, representing a 20% year-on-year growth.

P@SHA reiterated that the private sector will drive the tech-driven economic overhaul. It also expressed support for the Islamabad Declaration — issued after the summit — particularly its focus on establishing a private-sector-led, sovereign AI ecosystem.

P@SHA has highlighted the scale of Indus AI Week and the momentum behind it, which went beyond the $1 billion commitment. The summit established quantifiable targets for human capital development – including the funding of 1,000 PhD scholarships in artificial intelligence and an initiative to train one million non-IT professionals in advanced tech skills, the statement added.

In one of the sessions during the summit, P@SHA Chairman Sajjad Syed said the IT sector is no longer merely a participant in Pakistan’s economy; it is the “fundamental engine of future growth”.

"The commitments made at the Indus AI Summit provide a much-needed, evidence-based structural framework. P@SHA, representing the collective strength of Pakistan's software and tech enterprises, stands fully prepared to translate this policy into export-driven, practical realities. The integration of AI is no longer optional; it is a matter of global survival and economic sovereignty."