Islamabad: In a notable address to recent graduates of the Pakistan Civil Academy, Bilal Bin Saqib, Minister of State and Chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, urged the new wave of civil servants to take the lead in integrating artificial intelligence into the country’s governance framework. This call to action comes as Pakistan seeks to transition from traditional governance models to data-driven, AI-enabled systems.

According to Press Information Department, Mr. Saqib emphasized the critical role of AI in transforming national productivity and governance, urging civil servants to harness this technology for systemic reform. He highlighted the urgent need for Pakistan to evolve from a slow-moving bureaucratic model to a more responsive, efficient governance mechanism, where citizens experience a unified state rather than fragmented departments.

Mr. Saqib pointed to Pakistan’s standing in global rankings, such as the United Nations E-Government Development Index and Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, as indicators of the need for reform. He advocated for the use of AI tools to predict and manage public service issues, such as flood risks and school dropout rates, thereby enhancing the government’s responsiveness and efficiency.

Stressing the importance of implementation, Mr. Saqib encouraged the graduates to become AI-literate and proactive in identifying inefficiencies within the system. He highlighted the potential for even a single officer to initiate significant reforms through AI-enabled solutions, urging the new civil servants to be innovators rather than passive participants in the government.

In his concluding remarks, Mr. Saqib framed the integration of AI in governance as a moral imperative, stating that while AI can enhance decision-making, it cannot substitute human conscience. He called on the graduates to lead with integrity and innovation, ensuring that Pakistan’s governance evolves in tandem with technological advancements to better serve its citizens.