The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications has been convened to evaluate the preparation of Pakistan’s emerging technologies, review the AI Act, and consider the recent developments in the country’s digital infrastructure and language modeling efforts.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Parwasha Mohamad Zai Khan, focused on 2024, regulating the Artificial Intelligence Bill introduced by Senator Afnan Ula Khan. The bill proposes the creation of legal and ethical frameworks for the responsible use and development of artificial intelligence across the country.
Recognizing the global acceleration in AI innovation, lawmakers highlighted the need for timely regulatory interventions to form Pakistan’s safe and inclusive AI practices.
The key item on the agenda was the ongoing development of Pakistan’s first major indigenous language model (LLM), built through private sector collaborations between Jazz, Nast (National Science University), and NITB (National Information Technology Committee).
Committee members questioned the extent of collaboration and its accessibility. In response, the Ministry made it clear that the LLM initiative was privately funded and is currently not using public funds. However, it acknowledged concerns about transparency and pledged to ensure broader participation in future projects, including public calls to universities and other private companies across the country.
Jazz representatives gave an explanation to the committee on LLM’s focus. This includes developing tools for underrated local languages such as Urdu, Pashti and Punjabi. They flagged limited access to quality data as a major challenge in building AI tools for linguistically diverse but low-resource languages.
The committee welcomed this direction and urged stakeholders to support cooperative pluralism in future LLM and AI initiatives.
The lawmakers were also briefed on the Rs 16 billion allocated in the 2024-25 Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for capacity building in AI, semiconductors, cybersecurity and quantum research. The province’s Emerging Technology Building, which was recently established to coordinate efforts in these areas, is responsible for overseeing progress.
Beyond AI, the committee also considered crackdowns over the operation of illegal call centres. Officials from the National Cybercrime Investigation Bureau (NCCIA) reported that 54 such centres have been attacked, 254 arrests have been made, and most operations are based in Islamabad. The networks reportedly entice victims through social media scams and pour illegal funds through cryptocurrency and telegram-based channels.
Committee members emphasized that both regulatory policies and public partnerships must maintain equity and transparency, particularly for nationally relevant initiatives such as AI development and digital infrastructure.
In her closing remarks, Sen. Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to inclusive innovation and institutional oversight, highlighting that the future of AI in Pakistan must reflect the linguistic and cultural diversity of the country, ensuring access to academia, industry and governmental arike for all stakeholders.
