Islamabad: Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, recently concluded a successful visit to LEAP 2026 in Riyadh, where Pakistan led one of the largest national participations. The event, held from August 31 to September 3, 2026, under the banner of Tech Destination Pakistan, showcased the country’s digital talent, innovation, and technology ecosystem, drawing significant investment and international attention.
According to the Press Information Department, during her visit, Ms. Khawaja inaugurated the Tech Destination Pakistan Pavilion and delivered a keynote address titled “How We Built a Digital Nation.” She emphasized Pakistan’s digital transformation efforts, which include major investments in connectivity, such as the region’s largest 5G spectrum auctions, and reforms aimed at attracting technology investment under the guidance of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.
The Minister also engaged in a series of bilateral meetings with international counterparts, including Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, H.E. Abdullah Al-Swaha, and the Digital Cooperation Organization Secretary General, Ms. Deemah AlYahya. A significant outcome of these meetings was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Pakistan’s Ministry of IT and Telecommunication and Saudi Arabia’s National Cybersecurity Authority to enhance bilateral cybersecurity cooperation.
The participation of over 50 Pakistani technology companies and 25 startups at LEAP 2026 resulted in key partnerships and investment deals. Notably, Office Flow AI signed an Incubation Partnership Agreement with Dhahran Techno Valley and secured a deal with MIS Arabia. Additionally, Edversity, supported by Ignite under the Ministry of IT & Telecommunication, received a USD 400,000 investment from Rapidev Group to scale its AI-powered education platform internationally. Eight Pakistani startups also graduated from Cohort 01 of AstroLabs LEAP, a 12-week accelerator program facilitated by the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication.