The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) has formally endorsed the federal government’s strategic framework for artificial intelligence presented at the Indus AI Summit, underscoring industry commitment to a wide-ranging digital transformation anchored in export-led growth and domestic capacity building.
Federal Minister for IT & Telecom Sahaza Fatima Khawaja attended the HBL P@SHA CXO Networking Dinner as chief guest and applauded the IT sector’s performance, which reached $2.2 billion in exports during the first half of FY26 (July–December 2025), marking a 20 percent year‑on‑year increase. The focus on Indus AI and related initiatives was highlighted as central to sustaining this momentum.
The summit’s scale reflected deep private sector engagement, with the event sponsored by the IT industry, 25 major national and international exhibitors, and around 100,000 participants across multiple engagements. The Innovation, Learning and Engagement Arena hosted over 40 specialized tech events that drew thousands of students, founders, investors, researchers and developers, reinforcing the nationwide reach of the Indus AI agenda.
The National AI Training Bootcamp ran intensive technical upskilling sessions for more than 1,900 participants over two days, while the Indus eSports Championship promoted youth engagement with a prize pool of PKR 4.5 million. These activities formed part of a deliberate push to build practical skills and broaden participation in the digital economy through Indus AI initiatives.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a $1 billion national investment in AI by 2030, framed by the Islamabad Declaration’s emphasis on a private‑sector‑led, sovereign AI ecosystem. P@SHA welcomed the announcement and highlighted specific human capital targets discussed at the summit, including funding for 1,000 PhD scholarships in artificial intelligence and a federal mandate to train one million non‑IT professionals in advanced tech skills.
Participating alongside the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and the Special Investment Facilitation Council, P@SHA positioned industry as a central implementation partner. Sajjad Syed, Chairman of P@SHA, said, “The IT sector is no longer merely a participant in Pakistan’s economy; it is the fundamental engine of our future growth. The commitments made at the Indus AI Summit provide a much‑needed, evidence‑based structural framework. P@SHA, representing the collective strength of Pakistan’s software and tech enterprises, stands fully prepared to translate this policy into export‑driven, practical realities.” The emphasis on Indus AI reflects a clear policy shift toward measurable outcomes.
The summit, held at the Jinnah Convention Center and linked to decentralized events at universities, tech hubs and the Innovation Arena at the Islamabad Sports Complex, demonstrated a nationwide model for digital empowerment. P@SHA urged member companies, founders and IT professionals to participate actively in expos, skill‑building sessions and sectoral showcases to help convert the Indus AI commitments into tangible economic and educational gains across provinces.
