In a significant development for Punjab’s technological landscape, a Chinese delegation met with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, agreeing to invest $700 million in various IT and AI projects. The chief minister approved the proposal in principle, marking a major step towards transforming Punjab into a regional IT hub.
The meeting, attended by Chengdu ICT General Coordinator and Huawei Deputy Chief Executive Officer Yu Ray, outlined several initiatives. Among them is the launch of an e-taxi service in collaboration with Chengdu, a key component of the investment.
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Additionally, a Chinese company will establish a Computing Centre in Lahore’s Nawaz Sharif IT City. Plans were also discussed for creating a Data and Cloud Centre, with the Punjab government providing land and infrastructure support. An e-commerce platform will be established, with the Chinese company training Pakistani youth for global online trading.
Other initiatives include the creation of a smart control room to manage traffic, transport, and sanitation in Lahore. During a recent visit to China, the Punjab chief minister and Transport Minister Bilal Akbar were briefed on cutting-edge digital centres, further strengthening ties.
An AI Industry Centre will also be established in the second phase to introduce the youth to artificial intelligence technologies. The Chinese government has agreed to assist in building platform service capacity in Punjab, while local investments in industries were reviewed for future phases.
CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif stated, “We want to make Punjab the biggest artificial intelligence centre with China’s cooperation. Punjab will soon become an IT hub, and we aim for our youth to excel in the IT sector.”
