Shehbaz Sharif sets November progress deadline for Pakistan-Alibaba digital projects
Pakistan’s prime minister told ministries to set targets and report progress on cooperation with Alibaba, spanning exports, agriculture, training and public services.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed ministries at an Islamabad meeting on 28 October to complete measures for digital projects with Alibaba and submit a progress report by November, according to Dawn’s account of a Prime Minister’s Office statement. The instruction puts a deadline on cooperation covering trade, agriculture and public services, although the government did not specify a day in November for the report.
Sharif called for each project to have defined targets, timelines and monitoring, Dawn reported. The meeting reviewed the use of artificial intelligence and digitisation across Pakistan’s economy and government, as well as work with Alibaba. Sharif said the technologies could improve trade and exports, and recalled signing a memorandum of understanding at Alibaba’s headquarters in Hangzhou during a visit to China.
Which Pakistan-Alibaba trade projects are operating?
A system to verify trade documents digitally through Pakistan Single Window is operational, the Prime Minister’s Office said, according to Dawn. A Pakistan pavilion has also been established on Alibaba’s platform to promote Pakistani goods internationally. Those are more advanced than the digital platforms for citrus and olive exports, which the office described as work in progress.
Dawn reported that a two-year programme involving the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority and Alibaba was being launched to give smaller businesses training, e-commerce opportunities and access to international markets. The Export Promotion Board was instructed to work with Alibaba on increasing exports. The reported programme and instruction describe intended support for exporters; the account gave no measure of additional sales resulting from them.
What is planned for agriculture, health and training?
The Prime Minister’s Office said work was under way on AI models for agriculture and technology to track and trace tobacco, Dawn reported. Sharif welcomed Alibaba’s cooperation on agricultural exports to China and farm automation. These projects were among the areas discussed at the review, rather than completed systems described as already in use.
Sharif directed officials to implement an AI-assisted cancer early-detection system with Alibaba as soon as possible. The meeting also reviewed a proposed pilot for AI-assisted cancer diagnosis, Dawn reported. The account presented both as plans; it did not establish that either system was treating patients. Sharif also called for a 15-day AI training programme for IT graduates under the IT ministry’s Ignite programme to begin soon with Alibaba.
The review covered an advanced data platform and central data hub for the Federal Board of Revenue and Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority was being provided AI and business-intelligence tools to analyse fuel supply-chain data, according to the Prime Minister’s Office account reported by Dawn. The office also described digital and AI initiatives in higher education, railways, postal services and urban administration as being in their final stages of completion.
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Sources and context
- Secret to country's development lies in AI and digitisation, PM Shehbaz stressesDawn (by Syed Irfan Raza; original Dawn reporting, with meeting details attributed to the Prime Minister’s Office)
- Secret to national development lies in AI and digitisation: PM ShehbazThe Express Tribune (Web Desk; meeting account cites the Prime Minister’s Office post)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.