The National Productivity Organization Pakistan, together with the Asian Productivity Organization Tokyo, opened a four-day international workshop on promoting productivity through digitalization at a hotel in Islamabad on October 6, 2025. The event brings experts, policymakers and practitioners from across the Asia-Pacific region to examine how digitalization can drive efficiency, competitiveness and inclusive growth.
The workshop includes 19 overseas participants from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Türkiye and Vietnam, alongside Pakistani delegates, creating a regional forum for shared learning and cooperation. Sessions will run through October 9 and focus on practical measures that organizations and governments can adopt to accelerate digital transformation.
Muhammad Alamgir Chaudhary, CEO of NPO Pakistan, welcomed the gathering and stressed that digitalization is now central to productivity agendas. He highlighted the need to tackle cybersecurity gaps, upgrade infrastructure and ensure environmental sustainability while promoting inclusive innovation and enabling policy frameworks that allow benefits to reach all segments of society.
Leading the workshop from the APO secretariat, Tomoyuki Yamada outlined a programme of case studies and hands-on guidance on digital tools, including artificial intelligence, to enhance organizational performance. International resource persons include Dr Suraya Sulaiman from Malaysia, Yuichi Ota from Vietnam and Syed Ahmad from Pakistan, who will share practical insights from industry and public-sector projects.
Participants will engage with themes such as national and organizational policies for digital transformation, emerging technologies and AI, and organizational change management. The event aims to equip attendees with the capability to plan and implement digital transformation projects, a clearer understanding of key technologies including AI, and policy insights to support productivity gains in their home institutions.
Speaking as chief guest, Karim Aziz Malik urged governments and businesses to invest in resilient infrastructure, prioritize education reform and establish robust regulatory frameworks to address cybersecurity and sustainability challenges associated with rapid digitalization. The opening ceremony ended with a group photograph of participants and guests, setting the stage for several days of practical exchange and collaboration.
