Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal today urged overseas Pakistanis to rise above political divisions and embrace a “Pakistan First” approach as he sought greater diaspora support for the country’s ambitions in artificial intelligence, innovation and technology during a series of engagements in Northern California.
Addressing a breakfast reception hosted by the Pakistani-American community, the minister said Pakistan’s long-term economic prosperity depended on export-led growth, technological innovation and the development of skilled human capital. He said the government’s URAAN Pakistan programme aimed to transform the country into a knowledge-based, technology-driven and sustainable economy, with a target of becoming a $1 trillion economy by 2035 while raising exports beyond $100 billion.
Iqbal called on overseas Pakistanis to promote investment, technology transfer, entrepreneurship and international commercial partnerships, describing them as key ambassadors for Pakistan’s economic interests abroad. He noted that the United States remained Pakistan’s largest export destination, making the Pakistani-American community an important link for expanding bilateral trade and investment.
Highlighting digital transformation as a national priority, the minister described artificial intelligence as a defining opportunity for Pakistan’s future. He said the government was establishing National Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Big Data, Robotics, Genomics and Quantum Computing to equip the country for emerging technological advancements. He also highlighted the ongoing US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor initiative, which seeks to develop highly skilled professionals through collaboration with leading international universities.
During discussions with community members and technology professionals, participants proposed transforming Pakistani consulates into centres for export promotion, investment facilitation and technology cooperation. They also recommended creating advisory groups of Pakistani experts based in Silicon Valley to support AI adoption, curriculum reforms and digital skills development, while encouraging partnerships between Silicon Valley professionals and Pakistan’s National Innovation Centres. Other proposals included attracting global technology companies to establish research and development facilities in Pakistan to leverage the country’s engineering talent.
The minister welcomed the recommendations, saying Pakistan should convert recent diplomatic goodwill into stronger economic cooperation, innovation-driven growth and technology partnerships.
As part of his visit, Iqbal also met Saeed Amidi, founder and chief executive of Plug and Play Tech Center, to discuss expanding Pakistan’s startup ecosystem and integrating local entrepreneurs into international innovation networks.
During the meeting, Plug and Play expressed interest in partnering with Pakistan to accelerate as many as 300 startups from leading universities, connect entrepreneurs with more than 600 global corporate partners, and support them in achieving product-market fit, attracting investment and expanding into international markets while retaining their core operations in Pakistan. The company also proposed issuing a Letter of Intent to establish offices in Islamabad and Karachi, citing successful collaboration models implemented in Trkiye, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Germany and other countries.
Iqbal welcomed the proposal in principle and invited the company to submit its Letter of Intent along with detailed areas of cooperation to facilitate a high-level delegation’s visit to Pakistan. He said the country’s youthful workforce, competitive engineering talent and continued investment in digital and information technology skills provided a strong foundation for international collaboration.
He added that, with the right global partnerships, Pakistan’s expanding startup ecosystem could develop into a leading regional centre for innovation.
During his visit, the minister also participated in discussions with Silicon Valley technology professionals on artificial intelligence, innovation, entrepreneurship, investment and technology transfer, and attended a dinner reception hosted by members of the Pakistani-American community.
Community representatives reiterated their commitment to supporting Pakistan’s economic development through investment, knowledge sharing and technology collaboration, while endorsing the minister’s call to place national interests above political differences under the banner of “Pakistan First.”