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By Malik Shahzad Aslam :
Pakistan has moved closer to operationalizing its National Artificial Intelligence Policy with the Ministry of IT and Telecom initiating the formation of the country’s first-ever AI Council.
Officials said the council will act as the apex body to oversee implementation of the National AI Policy 2025, with nominations already sought from academia, industry, civil society, citizen advocacy groups and key sectors such as healthcare and agriculture. Most nominations have been received, while the remaining are expected to be finalised shortly before formal notification of the council.
According to the Ministry of IT and Telecom, the AI Council will be chaired by the federal IT and telecom minister and will include senior federal and provincial representation. Members will include secretaries from the IT, science and planning ministries, heads of key regulatory and academic bodies, provincial chief secretaries and representatives from industry, academia, civil society and citizen advocacy groups.
Officials said the council will provide strategic direction, review progress and coordinate between federal and provincial governments to ensure effective execution of AI-related initiatives. It will also guide the use of resources under the proposed National AI Fund and ensure that AI development follows human-centric and ethical principles.
The National AI Policy 2025, approved by the federal cabinet on July 31, 2025, is a key component of Pakistan’s Digital Pakistan vision. The policy aims to transition the country toward a knowledge-based economy by building a secure, inclusive and innovation-driven AI ecosystem.
The policy is structured around six strategic pillars, including market enablement, sectoral transformation, AI infrastructure development, international collaboration, public awareness and readiness, and the creation of a secure and ethical AI environment.
Under the policy framework, the government plans to establish the National AI Fund and dedicated venture funds to support startups and innovation. Targets include training one million AI professionals by 2030, offering 3,000 postgraduate scholarships each year, introducing regulatory sandboxes and enforcing ethical and transparency standards.
AI adoption in priority sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education and governance has been identified as a central objective. The policy also includes plans for developing indigenous large language models and setting up a national compute grid.
Officials said the AI Council will be supported by a dedicated Policy Implementation Cell and a master action matrix to track targets, ensure ethical compliance, and guide strategic allocation of resources.
The government believes the council will play a critical role in accelerating AI-driven innovation and supporting Pakistan’s long-term shift toward a technology-led and knowledge-driven economy.
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