Pakistan Seeks ‘Strategic Partnership’ With Russia in IT — Minister for IT and Telecommunications

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Pakistan Seeks ‘Strategic Partnership’ With Russia in IT — Minister for IT and Telecommunications

Pakistan Seeks ‘Strategic Partnership’ With Russia in IT — Minister for IT and Telecommunications

Sputnik Worldwide

Shaza Fatima, Pakistan’s Minister for Info Expertise and Telecommunication, gave an unique interview to Sputnik throughout her first official go to to Russia as Pakistan’s federal minister for IT and telecom.

2025-09-19T11:02+0000

2025-09-19T11:02+0000

2025-09-19T11:02+0000

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Sputnik: May you elaborate on the first targets of your go to and what your agenda right here appears to be like like?Shaza Fatima: That is my first official go to because the federal minister for IT and telecom from the federal government of Pakistan. On a bigger degree, if I speak about our objectives and ambitions, which is able to comply with my go to at present, it’s basically trying into strategic partnership with Russia and trying to see how can we additional improve our collaboration in these fields. So notably Russia’s energy in areas like cyber safety, synthetic intelligence — these are the areas that may be the important thing focus. And we would be trying in direction of not simply one-off collaborations, however a bigger canvas the place we will have conversations government-to-government, business-to enterprise, and in addition in flip then finally look right into a deeper people-to folks interplay as effectively. So because of this we’re right here. Mainly at present there was the primary session of the second IT Congress and that’s what I attended and it was good to see structural expertise corporations show their applied sciences, their merchandise on the market.Sputnik: So did something stand out specifically?Shaza Fatima: Yeah, we really had a dialog with a few corporations and in addition organizations who’re desirous about B2B investments. And that’s the place, shifting ahead, we are going to introduce them to sure Pakistani corporations who’re desirous about working with Russian corporations specifically. Had a superb dialog with a pair cybersecurity corporations and we’ll be trying how we will use the Russian applied sciences to our profit as we digitize and as we transfer in direction of e-government and we transfer in direction of digital financial system and cashless financial system, it is vitally attention-grabbing to see how Russia has actually outdone themselves in these areas. We strongly really feel that Russian expertise and experience, and Pakistan’s market and youths, which is completely revolutionary and enterprising, is a good mixture to work collectively.Sputnik: So that you used a really highly effective phrase, “strategic partnership”. Are you able to assist our viewers members perceive what you imply by that? How does Pakistan envision a probably strategic partnership with Russia in IT?Shaza Fatima: For example, at present I am right here as part of the SCO. And Russia and Pakistan are each a part of SCO. These are sure multilateral organizations the place we’re constantly working collectively when it comes to geopolitical points. Russia’s thought and general the SCO thought of constructing a Eurasia hall can also be one thing which is of nice curiosity to us.Pakistan proper now’s trying to changing into an information transit hub, and finally a digital hub for this area general. We’re proper now connecting China with the Arabian Sea through the information transit, and we’re additionally trying to join Central Asian international locations. So that is the form of digital hall that we’re envisaging. And additional on from there, along with connectivity, like I stated earlier than, there’s a variety of curiosity in cybersecurity as the entire. It is paradigm shift in direction of digital applied sciences and at one level you’d see IT as an trade standalone however at present IT cuts throughout each single side of our lives. And as we start to digitize and as our knowledge goes up in our knowledge facilities and cloud, there’s an elevated use of and that is the place the strategic half is available in, a strategic want for cybersecurity capabilities. In order that’s one space. Similar goes for synthetic intelligence. As cybersecurity is vital in each side and each sector, particularly additionally within the nationwide safety, synthetic intelligence performs the same position. Right now, whether or not it is well being tech, ad-tech, industrial productiveness, agriculture — AI and automation is one thing, which goes to essentially make or break international locations. So these are the form of areas that we’re trying to companion with Russia and that is the place we’re coming from.Sputnik: So that you had one other time period that I feel could be very colourful and attention-grabbing, digital hall, as a result of I feel persons are used to listening to about bodily transport corridors throughout Eurasia, worldwide “North-South” transport hall, “One belt– One highway”. However right here you are speaking concerning the creation of a digital hall throughout higher Eurasia. May you inform us a bit about how which may look in observe and what would Pakistan like its world to be in there?Shaza Fatima: So after I speak about Digital Hall, it is connectivity, and the way can we make use of Pakistan’s strategic location to change into an information transit hub for international locations that encompass it, particularly on the northwestern facet, the landlocked international locations, for which Pakistan supplies the shortest route all the best way to submarine cables.Proper now we have now seven submarine cables touchdown in Pakistan. We have landed two extra, which might be practical, hopefully, by subsequent yr and there are three extra within the pipeline. So we’re diversifying our submarine connectivity routes and we’re trying to make Pakistan a connectivity hub. Equally, on the tech facet, on the IT facet, we’re proper now within the course of of creating Pakistan right into a digital nation, Pakistan, and what it basically means is that we’ll be digitizing the nation in our financial system, our governance, and our society. And what that does is that it really not simply creates a variety of knowledge, but additionally creates a a lot of alternative and makes Pakistan right into a hub in itself.With Pakistan’s 240 million inhabitants and over 60% of that being below the age of 30, we’re additionally one of many most interesting tech locations in relation to offering the most effective form of human useful resource capital, which isn’t simply high quality aggressive, but additionally price aggressive. So we have now all the proper of substances to make Pakistan right into a digital hub and permit for this digital hall to go via it.Sputnik: And as we had been speaking shortly earlier than the interview, I used to be stunned to be taught that Pakistan has a commerce surplus in IT. Completely.Shaza Fatima: You are completely proper. So Pakistan’s IT exports have been rising at round a median over 20% during the last three years. And never simply is that this an absolute quantity, however you are really proper in saying that nearly it is 85% commerce surplus that we’re taking a look at within the sector. Our goal is to nearly, you recognize, enhance it by a minimum of 5x this quantity over the subsequent three years, and that is the form of development goal that we’re taking a look at. And we’re very hopeful that with the form of, like I stated, a variety of youth inhabitants which acts as the fundamental uncooked materials for the tech sector, our incentive insurance policies which permit for our freelancers and distant employees to work tax-free, export tax proper now’s solely 0.25%, for the businesses who’re registered with the Pakistan Software program Export Board. So, these are the form of incentives that we’re offering for the trade to ensure that it to thrive and develop and to allow the ecosystem at giant.Sputnik: The opposite attention-grabbing factor that I seen as I used to be researching Pakistan’s IT sector, it appears as if you could have a multipolar method in relation to on the lookout for companions. And what I imply by that’s that I noticed that you’ve conferences along with your Chinese language colleagues, along with your Turkish colleagues, along with your Qatari colleagues. I assume, you recognize, the explanation I am desirous about that’s as a result of Silicon Valley has historically been thought-about the principle IT hub. Why has Pakistan determined to pursue a extra diversified method, working, I assume, with rising tech industries and never simply with the established gamers?Shaza Fatima: That is an excellent query there. Pakistan’s exports nonetheless are over 50% to the US, so that continues to be a companion in relation to the sector. However in the previous couple of years, we have seen international locations like Saudi Arabia, international locations like UAE, international locations, like China, the names that you’ve got taken, Qatar, all of those international locations actually excel within the discipline. As a rustic, we’re very happy with how our management has taken our international coverage ahead. We’re very open, we’re very simple, however we have been in a position to keep good relationship with all our companions in relation to, particularly our financial pursuits. And that’s how we take a look at Pakistan at giant as a rustic which is on the market and open to enterprise with anybody and everybody when it come to our pursuits. However for tech sector particularly, I feel it is of accelerating significance that collaborations happen. It should be very troublesome to navigate in isolation shifting ahead — areas like cybersecurity itself, the digital public infrastructures which might be rising collectively, moral AI, inclusive AI, secure safe applied sciences, that’s one thing that we have to work on throughout the board, and we’d like harmonize laws in order that we stay interoperable and we stay related.Sputnik: And, you recognize, over the course of this interview, you’ve got cited AI and cybersecurity as the 2 most promising areas for Russia-Pakistan cooperation. May you elaborate on how this cooperation may appear like? Would it not be simply Russian corporations, Russian startups offering their merchandise to Pakistan? Or do you envision another, I assume, mechanism?Shaza Fatima: Along with cybersecurity and AI, there’s a few different issues that I want to point out. So for instance, we’re going actually massive on e-governance and nationwide digitization. So there are two important pillars that our ministry works below. One is the Digital Nation Pakistan, which is the nationwide digitisation enabled by an enacted regulation by the Parliament, the Digital Nations Pakistan Act 2025, And the opposite is the tech vacation spot Pakistan, which appears to be like for industrial enablement, for a thriving ecosystem, regulatory ease, ease of doing enterprise, in order that our corporations develop and are in a position to export to bigger markets. Each these areas are of core significance. The 2 that I maintain speaking about are basically cross-cutting. However over and above that, I feel investments in digital public infrastructure. In nationwide digitization and e-governance are additionally one thing which might be of nice significance to Pakistan in relation to our talks with Russia. So yeah, these are sure key elements that we’re taking a look at. And like I stated earlier than, we in Pakistan, we’re pushing for personal sector to take the lead when it come to digital improvement. So we’ll be trying into extra B2B interactions and investments, but additionally southern GTG companies, no matter doable.Sputnik: And naturally, you recognize, area will not be precisely data applied sciences, nevertheless it’s an adjoining sphere as a result of you’ll be able to’t have web with out satellites. You could have sturdy area infrastructure with a purpose to make all these nice IT plans a actuality. Is Pakistan exploring the potential for perhaps cooperating with Russia, which is a long-established participant in area?Shaza Fatima: In Pakistan, our area regulation is dealt by an impartial regulatory physique which is within the strategy of finalizing the laws through which we can subject licenses to satellite tv for pc or web working corporations. As a coverage, we have now an open area coverage and we might be welcoming all corporations who wish to apply for the license, and provided that the regulatory obligations are fulfilled, the authority will take its resolution when it comes to issuing licenses. It is fairly a cross-cutting area as a result of until we speak about a satellite tv for pc sending alerts to land, however then from land onwards, there is a separate regulatory physique, which is Pakistan Telecommunication Authority that then appears to be like into the licensing course of. We’re making an attempt to streamline the entire system proper now and get the proper of laws in, with a purpose to encourage an increasing number of corporations to use. Let’s have a look at how that works out in just a few months.Sputnik: So, thus far we have talked loads about B2B authorities to authorities however I am questioning have there been any discussions or plans about probably bringing Pakistani scientists, Russian scientists collectively and making an attempt to see, you recognize, enhance the alternate of information and maybe even take a look at joint initiatives collectively?Shaza Fatima: That may be very attention-grabbing to see how we will convey our not simply scientists and professionals collectively, however it might be attention-grabbing to see how can look into some scholar alternate, internship alternate packages which basically create folks to folks relationships. These are the form of relationships that finally go a great distance when it comes to bilateral relations between the international locations when it really turns into a bilateral relation between nations. So that’s completely on the playing cards and we will undoubtedly look into such alternate packages. Now we have totally different ministries that truly take a look at these specific transactions and interactions. We will certainly have a joint committee. Working group trying into how we will improve these.Sputnik: Clearly, your portfolio is data expertise and telecommunication, however you are an skilled politician. So when you do not thoughts, I might wish to ask you a query concerning the broader strategic image, particularly given the truth that the prime minister of Pakistan might be coming to Russia in November. How do you imagine enhanced strategic cooperation between Pakistan and Russia may also help construct this regional eurasian integration that Russia has stated it is needed, that Pakistan has stated it is need it, different international locations within the area have stated it needed. What precisely about, you recognize, what can Russian Pakistan obtain collectively? And why does it make sense for Russia and Pakistan to work collectively?Shaza Fatima: The Shanghai Cooperation Group, I feel, is a really crucial discussion board in relation to such a cooperation and group, particularly on a regional degree. Usually talking, I thinks it is very, crucial that there is regional integration. We have seen how the EU has completed pretty effectively via its interoperability and by changing into robust regional group.I imagine that the Shanghai Cooperation Group additionally has a really vibrant future in relation to regional cooperation. I feel all people advantages if the area comes collectively and we work and we speak about issues like expertise switch, once more, security and safety and ethics.So we have moved from the digital age to an “clever age” now and on this age the place synthetic intelligence is actually taking on every thing, I feel it is crucial to have all of our views despatched into the machine studying side of it and never simply have a restricted quantity of information that’s being processed there.I feel it is extraordinarily vital that North-South divide wants to finish right here. All people must work collectively, particularly in gentle of the clever age that we’re working in. It should be crucial for us, all of us, to protect our views, our cultures, our societies, our languages, every thing that’s going to finally change as our youthful generations start to develop up in a world the place their supply of data is now much less about dad and mom and colleges and extra about what they be taught on these digital platforms.So it should be crucial for us to essentially take a 180-degree flip and take a look at the world from a totally totally different lens, which is now dominated by digital rising applied sciences. So the Internet 3, quantum, synthetic intelligence, cyber safety, the digital public infrastructures — all of this stuff are going to critically change the best way we have been trying on the world at giant, together with geopolitics.Sputnik: Madam Minister, thanks for such an in-depth coverage interview.

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