Pakistan Establishes Its Sovereign AI Position with the Adoption of the Islamabad AI Declaration

Islamabad, Pakistan, Feb. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Following the high-level proceedings of the Indus AI Summit 2026, the Government of Pakistan has formally adopted the Islamabad AI Declaration on Sovereign, Responsible, and Capability-Driven Artificial Intelligence. The Declaration defines Pakistan’s national position on Artificial Intelligence and marks the transition from policy articulation to disciplined national execution.

Formally presented by the Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, the Declaration affirms Pakistan’s sovereign and inclusive approach to Artificial Intelligence, led by the private sector and enabled by government, to advance Digital Society, Digital Economy, and Digital Governance.

The Declaration sets out nine foundational principles that will guide Pakistan’s national AI ecosystem:

1. AI as a sovereign choice aligned with constitutional objectives and measurable public value
2. Human accountability and institutional oversight in all decisions of public consequence
3. A pragmatic, use-case-first deployment model anchored in economic productivity and service delivery
4. Sovereign data stewardship under Pakistan’s legal and constitutional framework
5. Explainable, auditable, and risk-proportionate AI systems
6. Coordinated, whole-of-government governance to prevent fragmentation and vendor dependency
7. Investment in national capability, research, and inclusive innovation
8. A private-sector-led AI economy supported by sovereign compute and resilient infrastructure
9. Principled international engagement consistent with national values and sovereign interests

Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, stated:

“The Islamabad AI Declaration is a foundational step in strengthening Pakistan’s digital economy. Under the Prime Minister’s vision to harness AI for public good and economic growth, this framework provides a disciplined roadmap to create jobs, enable enterprise, and build long-term competitiveness. Our youth are our greatest strategic asset, and AI will be a catalyst for inclusive prosperity.”

Dr. Sohail Munir, Chairperson of the Pakistan Digital Authority, the national authority responsible for AI governance, regulatory oversight, and supervisory coordination in Pakistan, added:

“The Declaration establishes the foundations for AI governance and supervision in Pakistan and reflects a disciplined commitment to sovereignty, public trust, and measurable national value. Pakistan will adopt AI responsibly, govern it rigorously, and build domestic capability with accountability.

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, in coordination with the Pakistan Digital Authority and relevant federal and provincial institutions, has initiated the integration of the Declaration’s principles into supervisory frameworks, procurement standards, sectoral adoption roadmaps, and institutional capability programs.

The Honourable Prime Minister has directed the Pakistan Digital Authority to operationalize and enforce a national AI Supervisory Framework aligned with the Declaration and to develop the necessary legal and governance architecture to ensure structured, accountable AI adoption across the country.

With this adoption, Pakistan formally enters a new phase of sovereign, responsible, and capability-driven AI development.

Attachment

• Islamabad AI Declaration

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