By: ABID SIDDIQUE CHAUDHRY

TWA

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ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja has declared Pakistan’s digital vision fully aligned with Malaysia’s digital economy goals and proposed launching a Digital Policy Dialogue between the two countries. According to the Ministry of IT, the minister made these remarks during a meeting with Malaysia’s Minister of Communications Ahmad Fahmi Mohamed Fadzil on the sidelines of the World Telecommunication Development Conference.

Shaza Fatima highlighted Pakistan’s rapidly expanding IT industry and its pool of over 600,000 tech professionals, describing them as a major national strength. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing ICT exports and agreed to further deepen collaboration in key areas. The minister also proposed cooperation in artificial intelligence, data science, talent mobility, and skill alignment, along with joint initiatives in cybersecurity and digital content.

The federal minister later visited Azerbaijan’s ASAN Service Center, praising it as an excellent model of digital governance. The Pakistani delegation received a detailed briefing on e-governance, citizen service delivery, and digital integration mechanisms.

During her visit, Shaza Fatima Khawaja noted that Pakistan–Azerbaijan relations have strengthened further following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit. She added that both countries are entering a new era of digital cooperation, technology partnerships, and public service exchange. The minister reaffirmed that citizen-centric digital services remain at the core of Pakistan’s digital reforms, expressing Pakistan’s intention to establish ASAN-style service centers across the country following the pilot project in Islamabad.