ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja has highlighted Pakistan’s digital transformation efforts at the LEAP 2026 conference in Riyadh, saying the country’s emerging national digital stack, expanding infrastructure and young workforce could help accelerate digital growth.

Speaking at a session titled “How We Built a Digital Nation”, the minister said Pakistan had anchored its digital transformation in legislation, including through the Digital Nation Pakistan Act, which established the National Digital Commission and Pakistan Digital Authority to provide institutional ownership.

She said the government’s approach to digital growth was based on innovation, partnerships and investment, while stressing the importance of strong institutions and sound policymaking.

According to Ms Khawaja, investments in connectivity and competitiveness had complemented the country’s legal framework. These included one of the largest spectrum auctions for 5G, the establishment of special technology zones and reduced taxation for the IT industry.

The minister said Pakistan’s experience showed that the government could support digital growth through effective policymaking and strong institutions while creating conditions for the private sector to lead innovation and economic expansion.

She also stressed the need for a dedicated central digital agency to turn policy into effective implementation. Discipline and measurable key performance indicators (KPIs), she said, were necessary to keep large-scale digital transformation focused on defined objectives.

Ms Khawaja said the state’s role should centre on developing core digital infrastructure that enables private companies to innovate and build new services and products. She described partnerships between the public and private sectors as central to achieving sustained digital progress.

She also reaffirmed Pakistan’s intention to strengthen its digital partnership with Saudi Arabia, saying cooperation in digital innovation, capacity building and emerging technologies could create new opportunities for both countries.

Earlier, the minister inaugurated the Tech Destination Pakistan Pavilion at LEAP 2026. The pavilion features 25 startups and 50 Pakistani technology companies showcasing solutions in artificial intelligence, automation and other digital technologies.

Pakistan’s participation in the conference is aimed at facilitating business-to-business partnerships, attracting international investment, expanding global market access for the country’s technology sector, strengthening international business networks and creating opportunities for technology exports.