Islamabad: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan has appointed Dr. Muhammad Zahid Latif, Rector of the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), as the National Chair on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. This decision aims to advance Pakistan’s capabilities in these transformative fields.

According to Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, the appointment places Dr. Latif at the helm of a national initiative based at NUST’s Islamabad campus. The initiative, supported by a panel of experts, will serve as a platform for policy direction and strategic alignment, particularly in relation to HEC-supported centers such as the National Centre of Artificial Intelligence and the National Centre of Robotics and Automation.

The HEC’s decision underscores NUST’s role as a hub of academic research and technological innovation in Pakistan. Dr. Latif expressed gratitude for the opportunity, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between academia, industry, and government in fostering technological progress. The National Chair will address structural gaps and systemic inefficiencies in the national AI and Robotics ecosystem, aiming to establish a framework aligned with international best practices.

The initiative seeks to recommend pathways for Pakistan to become a competitive knowledge economy, driven by innovation and advanced automation.