ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is embarking on a strategic overhaul of its artificial intelligence roadmap, as the federal government moves to induct international AI specialists into the proposed National AI Council.
The effort is aimed at breaking bureaucratic dominance, accelerating policy execution, and strengthening the country’s competitiveness in the rapidly evolving global technology landscape.
The move underscores the government’s intent to ensure that AI development aligns with national priorities, while addressing longstanding delays in implementing the National AI Policy.
The National AI Policy was approved by the federal cabinet in July 2025. However, its rollout has been delayed, partly due to consultations with provincial governments, which began roughly a month ago, according to sources in the Ministry of IT and Telecom.
The delay has also stalled the formal establishment of the AI Council, a central body intended to guide AI strategy, regulation, and coordination between federal and provincial stakeholders. Despite being a cornerstone of the policy framework, the council has yet to be officially notified.
Once constituted, the AI Council is expected to include representatives from key federal ministries and regulatory bodies, including Science and Technology, Foreign Affairs, and Federal Education, alongside the heads of the Higher Education Commission and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.
Officials say the council will play a pivotal role in aligning AI development with national priorities, regulating emerging technologies, and facilitating intergovernmental coordination.
Meanwhile, experts warn that Pakistan’s limited AI infrastructure presents a significant obstacle. The country currently faces a severe shortage of high-performance computing (HPC) data centres critical for advanced AI research and large-scale model development with only three universities reportedly operating functional HPC facilities.
Although telecom operators maintain data centres, these are primarily designed for conventional IT services and network management and are inadequate for modern AI workloads.
The private sector has expressed growing interest in investing in AI-focused data centres, but uncertainty stemming from the absence of a clear regulatory framework has dampened investor confidence.
Analysts caution that without swift policy implementation, stronger institutional coordination, and accelerated infrastructure development, Pakistan risks falling further behind in the global AI race potentially undermining its broader digital transformation and economic objectives.
While the AI Council envisioned as the apex body responsible for strategic direction and oversight remains unformed, the Ministry of IT has confirmed plans to include both local and international AI experts in its final composition to ensure technical expertise and efficient policy execution.
