Six months after the federal cabinet approved Pakistan’s ambitious National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy, the blueprint meant to steer the country into the global AI race remains largely confined to paper, with key institutional structures, funding mechanisms and provincial coordination still missing.
Unveiled in July as a landmark roadmap, the policy promised to position Pakistan as a competitive player in the fast-evolving, data-driven global economy. Among its headline targets: training one million AI professionals, developing 50,000 AI-driven civic projects, building 1,000 indigenous AI products by 2030, and awarding 3,000 AI scholarships annually.
Yet, despite the sweeping vision, implementation has barely moved beyond rhetoric.
Officials in the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication acknowledge that crucial steps required to operationalise the framework — including financial allocations, intergovernmental coordination and institutional oversight — have yet to materialise. In an area evolving as rapidly as artificial intelligence, such delays risk making even the most forward-looking plans obsolete before they are realised.
Provinces Yet to Respond
According to ministry sources, one of the primary bottlenecks has been the lack of engagement from provincial governments. Federal authorities had sought input from all federating units to develop a coordinated national approach. However, no formal responses were received, stalling discussions critical for implementation.
The absence of provincial buy-in has compounded structural delays at the centre. A key supervisory body envisioned under the framework — the National AI Council — has not yet been established. Officials say the proposed composition of the council is being reconsidered, amid concerns it would be overly bureaucratic and insufficiently representative of technical experts and industry stakeholders.
Without this central body, the policy lacks an anchor for oversight, coordination and accountability.
Limited Progress on Key Pillars
Of the six core pillars outlined in the policy — building an innovation ecosystem, raising awareness, safeguarding AI assets, enabling sectoral transformation, developing technical infrastructure and fostering international partnerships — only limited progress has been reported in awareness initiatives. Even this, officials concede, is currently confined to a single event scheduled in Islamabad next week.
Meanwhile, critical infrastructure gaps persist. Pakistan continues to struggle with reliable high-speed broadband access, a foundational requirement for AI-driven innovation. High-performance computing facilities and AI-focused data centres remain scarce, with existing data centres primarily geared towards conventional IT operations rather than advanced machine learning workloads.
Efforts to attract private investment in AI-specific infrastructure have also been slowed by policy uncertainty. Investors cite a lack of clarity around regulatory frameworks, data governance standards and long-term incentives as key concerns.
Legal and Digital Environment Challenges
Progress on comprehensive data protection and cyber security legislation has been limited, leaving regulatory gaps that undermine confidence in digital systems. Without clear legal safeguards for data privacy and AI governance, experts warn, scaling responsible AI deployment will remain difficult.
Compounding these structural challenges is what industry stakeholders describe as a restrictive digital environment. Measures such as internet throttling, restrictions on virtual private network (VPN) usage and proposals for a national internet firewall have drawn criticism from technology firms and digital rights advocates, who argue such policies deter innovation and foreign investment.
A Race Against Time
Globally, artificial intelligence is reshaping healthcare, governance, education and industry at a rapid pace. Countries across Asia and the Middle East are investing heavily in AI infrastructure, research and regulatory frameworks to secure strategic advantage.
Analysts warn that Pakistan’s slow execution risks widening the gap between aspiration and reality. Without immediate action — including the formation of the National AI Council, active provincial participation, accelerated infrastructure development and a supportive regulatory ecosystem — the policy’s ambitious 2030 targets may prove unattainable.
For now, the National AI Policy stands as a bold declaration of intent. Whether it becomes a transformative roadmap or another stalled reform will depend on the speed and seriousness with which authorities move from vision to implementation.
