The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication hosted Future in Focus: AI and Innovation in Islamabad on 27 October 2025 in partnership with Meta, bringing together government officials, industry experts and academia to accelerate digital transformation. At the event Meta announced an expansion of Meta AI language capabilities with the launch of ALIF Urdu, enabling users across Pakistan to interact with Meta AI in Urdu as well as English and making information and services more accessible.
Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, said the initiative aligns with the Prime Minister’s Digital Nation Vision and Pakistan’s National AI Policy, and described ALIF Urdu as a milestone in making technology more inclusive so no citizen is left behind in the country’s digital transformation.
Meta introduced a localized edition of the Transforming Public Sector Innovation in Asia Pacific with Llama guide developed with Deloitte and supported by the Ministry. The guide demonstrates how the open-source Llama model can streamline government operations, enhance public service delivery and support data sovereignty for Pakistani institutions.
Sarim Aziz, Director of Public Policy South and Central Asia at Meta, emphasized the company’s collaboration with MoITT, the Higher Education Commission and NCEAC to help the public sector and academia adopt AI, noting that ALIF Urdu opens new opportunities for local communities to engage with technology in their own language.
The event also highlighted an AI literacy programme launched earlier this year in partnership with HEC, NCEAC and atomcamp to upskill 350 non-Computer Science faculty members across Pakistani universities. The programme aims to equip faculty with core AI competencies so students across disciplines are better prepared for the future of work and able to benefit from ALIF Urdu.
Localising tools like ALIF Urdu alongside practical guidance on models such as Llama is intended to accelerate digital transformation in Pakistan by improving access, strengthening links between academia and industry and supporting government innovation.
