NATHIAGALI: Pakistan’s Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has said that government is committed to extend full support to the emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence, semiconductors industry, and Quantum Technologies. The Minister was addressing the inaugural ceremony of International Nathiagali Summer College on Physics and Contemporary Needs on Monday. He said that the government has taken proactive measures to support the development of quantum technologies in Pakistan. As a first step in this direction, he announced to setup a National Centre for Quantum Computing this year.
Talking about Artificial Intelligence (AI), he said that the government has set up National Centers of Excellence in key universities across the country, fostering innovation in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Cybersecurity, Quantum Computing, Cloud Computing, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, and Mathematics.
The Minister said, Artificial Intelligence has great potential and could add up to $15.7 trillion to the international economy by 2030, saying cyber-security was becoming increasingly critical, with the international cyber-security market projected to reach around $345.4 billion by 2026.
He said that the government is investing in human capital development in the sector of quantum science and technology through scholarships, training programmers and capacity building steps. He appreciated Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission for playing an effective role in the development of medical, energy and agriculture sectors.
Ahsan Iqbal stressed the consistency of policies for a strong economy and execution of sense of mission to steer the nation towards path of prosperity and development. By participating in CERN’s cutting-edge experiments and projects, Pakistani scientists and engineers can gain invaluable knowledge and experience. Additionally, the government of Pakistan aims to develop joint research programs and academic exchanges, facilitating the flow of new ideas and fostering innovation, he remarked. This collaboration will not only enhance our scientific capabilities but also develop opportunities for our young scientists to contribute to groundbreaking research, the minister said. The summer college is being organized annually by Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) since 1976, aiming at transferring and sharing knowledge among the scientific community.
