Pakistan AI Policy Projects 7–12% GDP Growth

At a seminar organized by Pakistan Institute of Development Economics called “Bridging Gaps in Pakistan’s AI Roadmap,” veterans presented ambitious projections: Pakistan’s new National Artificial Intelligence Policy may increase GDP by 7–12% and create one million jobs in 2030. The speakers were Dr Anil Salman, AI Policy Committee chair, Dr Najibullah of the Planning Commission, Suniya Shahid, CEO of TechVention Ltd., and Dr Naveed Iftikhar, CEO of atomcamp The session was presided over by Wajid Islam, research economist at PIDE.

Dr Salman underlined that the policy, formulated through consultations with UNESCO, Asian Development Bank (ADB), and Commonwealth, is for an ethical, inclusive AI drive. Dr Najibullah had declared a Public Venture Capital Fund of Rs 2 billion to be invested in AI startups in the area of agriculture, health, and education. Suniya Shahid called for AI funds with a focus on women-led startups and stringent auditing for the proper use of AI. Dr Naveed Iftikhar emphasized bridging the policy-implementation gap by up-skilling and global collaboration.

Dr Nasir Iqbal of PIDE instead looked at macro-level implications, cautioning that AI benefits need to be shared to prevent aggravation of inequality. The verdict: Pakistan’s AI policy provides a strong basis, success depends on infrastructure, funding, and inter-sector collaboration.