ISLAMABAD, September 16: Pakistan has launched Quantum Valley Pakistan, a new technology and innovation initiative aimed at connecting young people and startups with global innovation networks and creating opportunities for high-tech businesses, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Wednesday.
The initiative, formally launched under the theme “Shaping Pakistan’s Innovation & Technology Future,” will seek to bring startups, technology companies, universities and other stakeholders into a broader innovation ecosystem while strengthening links with international technology hubs.
Two agreements were signed at the launch ceremony to support the initiative. Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) signed an agreement with Quantum Valley Pakistan, while Plug and Play entered into a separate agreement with the new platform.
Tim Rowe, CEO of Cambridge Innovation Center; Dougan Sherwood, Partner at CIC; and Seena Amidi, Managing Partner at Plug and Play, attended the ceremony.
Addressing the event, Ahsan Iqbal said the launch represented more than the establishment of another project and was intended to open a new direction for Pakistan’s technology and innovation ambitions.
“Today is not merely the inauguration of a project; it marks the beginning of a new direction for Pakistan’s future,” he said.
The minister said Quantum Valley Pakistan would serve as a platform linking Pakistani youth with international technology and innovation hubs while creating an environment conducive to entrepreneurship and high-tech business development.
He said technological capability and the ability to turn ideas into commercially viable products had become increasingly important sources of economic strength in the 21st century.
With nearly 60 percent of Pakistan’s population comprising young people, Iqbal said the country needed to channel their skills and potential towards technology, entrepreneurship and innovation.
“We have to bring together the capabilities of our youth and move forward with the spirit of Team Pakistan,” he said.
Global Partnerships to Support Pakistan’s Innovation Ecosystem
Iqbal described the agreements with Cambridge Innovation Center and Plug and Play as an important step towards connecting Pakistani entrepreneurs and technology talent with established international innovation networks.
He said such partnerships could help create new pathways for startups, emerging businesses and young people seeking opportunities in technology-driven sectors.
The minister linked the initiative with the government’s broader economic ambitions, saying Pakistan needed sustained economic growth to complement its defence and diplomatic capabilities.
He reiterated the government’s target of building a $1 trillion economy by 2035 and a $3 trillion economy by 2047.
“Achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2035 is certainly difficult, but it is not impossible,” Iqbal said, arguing that innovation, determination and collective national effort would be required to reach the target.
He also stressed the importance of exports in strengthening Pakistan’s economic position, saying the country needed to move towards greater economic sovereignty.
According to the minister, Pakistan’s population of around 260 million represents substantial economic potential, but the country needs the capacity to generate at least $400 billion annually in foreign exchange.
Pakistan Targets $100 Billion Exports by 2035
Iqbal said the technology ecosystem being developed under government initiatives would contribute towards the target of increasing Pakistan’s exports to $100 billion by 2035.
He said young Pakistanis could generate significant foreign exchange through knowledge-based industries and technology, adding that the government wanted to help transform young people from job seekers into creators of knowledge, innovation and economic activity.
The minister also recalled the establishment of national centres in emerging technology fields in 2017.
These included centres focused on artificial intelligence, big data and cloud computing, cyber security, automation and robotics, geographic information systems and space technology, applied mathematics, and livestock and genomics.
According to Iqbal, the centres were designed to connect universities and build a national technology network, while the technology component of the URAAN Pakistan programme further accelerated these efforts from 2024.
He said Pakistan could not afford to fall behind as technological change accelerated globally and called for greater investment in emerging technologies, innovation and export-oriented sectors.
“Pakistan’s youth can earn millions of dollars in foreign exchange for the country through knowledge and technology,” he said.
Iqbal said the broader objective of Quantum Valley Pakistan was to strengthen the country’s position in the international technology and innovation landscape.
“Our objective is to enable Pakistan to achieve a leading position in technology and innovation globally,” he said.
The minister said the new initiative, together with international partnerships and Pakistan’s existing technology programmes, was intended to create stronger links between young talent, startups, universities, businesses and global innovation networks.
He described the launch as part of a longer-term effort to develop a more technology-driven and knowledge-based economy, with entrepreneurship, high-tech businesses and exports playing a greater role in Pakistan’s future growth.