A high-level delegation from the GSMA and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office met Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja in Islamabad on 3 December 2025 to discuss the role of connectivity and mobile ecosystems in disaster resilience, digital inclusion and sustainable development.
The delegation included Ms. Louisa Odell, Innovation and Technology Advisor at the FCDO; Mr. Michael Unwin, Strategic Partnership Lead for the FCDO Technology and Innovation Unit; and Ms. Kimberly Brown, Global Head of Mobile for Humanitarian at GSMA. Minister Khawaja outlined the Prime Minister’s Digital Nation Pakistan vision and provided details on the INSPIRE Semiconductor program, under which 7,200 young Pakistanis will receive training in advanced semiconductor technologies and nine IC Design Labs will be established across university clusters to bolster the country’s hardware and chip-design ecosystem.
Representatives from GSMA presented an overview of Mobile for Development (M4D), highlighting recent initiatives in Pakistan to increase mobile internet adoption, expand digital inclusion and deliver climate resilience for vulnerable communities through mobile-enabled solutions. The delegation welcomed Pakistan’s emphasis on inclusive digital transformation and resilience-driven innovation.
Both GSMA and FCDO delegates praised national startup support mechanisms such as BridgeStart and the Pakistan Startup Fund Programme, noting these measures reinforce Pakistan’s commitment to entrepreneurship and a sustainable digital economy. Participants discussed how the INSPIRE Semiconductor effort complements startup and innovation programmes by strengthening local hardware capabilities and talent pipelines.
The meeting underscored opportunities for deeper collaboration between international partners and Pakistani institutions to scale digital inclusion, enhance disaster resilience through mobile technologies and advance semiconductor skills and infrastructure as part of the broader Digital Nation Pakistan agenda.
