Islamabad: Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication, Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, has emphasized the need for joint efforts and the adoption of emerging technologies to uplift the country. She delivered these remarks at a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony among Jazz, the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), and the National Information Technology Board (NITB), held at the Ministry of IT and Telecom. Secretary IT Zarrar Hasham Khan and Special Secretary IT Division Azfar Manzoor were also in attendance.

According to Press Information Department, Ms. Khawaja highlighted the importance of keeping pace with global technological advancements. She stated that the collaboration among Jazz, NUST, and NITB would foster innovation and position Pakistan as a leader in artificial intelligence (AI) advancements, aligning the country’s capabilities with global standards. The initiative is seen as a significant step in leveraging technology for national development.

The Minister stressed the urgency of developing Pakistan’s first Local Large Language Model (LLM) within a specific timeline, noting that academia-industry linkages could create job opportunities for the youth. She emphasized the importance of equipping the youth with the latest digital skills.

Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim, speaking at the event, underscored the significance of AI and big language models for the country’s future. He expressed a commitment to developing a local ecosystem that meets community needs, providing teachers, doctors, and farmers with tools and information in their respective languages. Ibrahim revealed plans to develop an active model in the coming months, which would lay the foundation for a revolutionary AI Framework in Pakistan.

Officers from the Ministry of IT and its attached departments, along with Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim and NUST Rector Engineer Javed Mahmood Bukhari, were present at the ceremony.