GUIZHOU, China, Aug 29 (ABC): Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has held high-level discussions with senior Huawei executives on a proposed roadmap to expand artificial intelligence, cloud computing, digital infrastructure and smart public services across the province.
The talks, held during the chief minister’s visit to China, focused on moving beyond individual technology projects towards a province-wide AI and digital transformation ecosystem aimed at supporting economic growth, innovation, employment and improved public service delivery.
Maryam Nawaz was accompanied by Ali Dar, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Artificial Intelligence, along with provincial ministers and senior officials of the Punjab government.
During the discussions, the two sides explored cooperation in developing secure and sovereign AI infrastructure in Pakistan, strengthening computing and data-centre capabilities, and gradually introducing AI applications across government departments, public services and industry.
Huawei presented a proposed four-layer AI ecosystem covering digital infrastructure, AI capacity building, open and commercial AI models, and practical applications tailored to Punjab’s governance and economic requirements.
The chief minister welcomed Huawei’s continued engagement with Punjab and said emerging technologies could help improve government efficiency, transparency, decision-making and the accessibility and quality of services provided to citizens.
The proposed cooperation also envisages developing localized AI capabilities by combining cloud infrastructure, computing resources, relevant data and specialized AI models. The approach is intended to ensure that AI solutions address local requirements and can subsequently be scaled across government departments and key economic sectors.
Talent development and wider access to technology are also expected to form important components of Punjab’s AI strategy. The two sides discussed strengthening AI skills in government, industry, academia and local communities through training and capacity-building initiatives.
The proposed roadmap includes strengthening AI and cloud infrastructure, launching high-impact pilot projects and developing successful use cases that could later be deployed on a wider scale.
Both sides also discussed establishing an effective government-enterprise coordination mechanism to facilitate communication, clarify responsibilities, speed up decision-making and support implementation of proposed initiatives.
Maryam Nawaz said partnerships with leading global technology companies could contribute to building a digitally empowered, innovative and citizen-focused Punjab.
The discussions were described as another step towards strengthening China-Pakistan cooperation in digital technologies, as Punjab seeks to position itself as the “most AI-enabled province in South Asia.”
Huawei said it would continue working with the Punjab government in areas including AI innovation, cloud computing, digital transformation, smart governance and skills development.
Huawei officials attending the meeting included Antonony Gu, Global President of Huawei Cloud Stack; Todd Liu, Chairman of Huawei Pakistan; and Ahmed Bilal Masud, CEO of Huawei Pakistan Cloud and AI Business.
The two sides agreed to pursue deeper cooperation in infrastructure, human capital, innovation and practical AI applications as Punjab moves ahead with its broader digital transformation agenda.
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