Islamabad to Host Indus AI Summit Amid Heightened Security, PM to Inaugurate

Pakistan is preparing to host the inaugural Indus AI Summit on February 9 at the Jinnah Convention Center, serving as the flagship event of the week-long Indus AI Week 2026 (February 9–15). Organized under the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), the summit will advance Pakistan’s sovereign AI strategy, promote international collaboration on artificial general intelligence (AGI), and support the Digital Pakistan vision for economic and technological progress.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will inaugurate the summit, reflecting the government’s high-level commitment to AI as a driver of national development. The Prime Minister has called it a “pivotal moment” for transforming Pakistan’s economy through responsible and innovative AI adoption. Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja has positioned the event as a key step “from policy to practical adoption,” building on the National AI Policy approved in 2025.

In a strong show of global interest, many foreign diplomats are expected to join the summit, alongside high-profile international experts. Diplomatic engagement has been highlighted in preparatory discussions, including outreach by Pakistani missions abroad. For instance, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, recently held meetings to discuss U.S.-Pakistan AI collaboration ahead of the event, signaling broader diplomatic involvement to foster cross-border partnerships in AI education, skills, investment, and innovation.

The summit will bring together prominent figures from government, academia, industry, and global organizations across the Middle East, Europe, North America, Asia, and beyond. Key confirmed international participants include:

– Dr. Aisha Bint Butti Bin Bishr (UAE), Vice President of Digital Transformation, The Global Diwan.
– Abdulla Al Dhaheri (UAE), CEO, The Blockchain Center, Abu Dhabi.
– Dominic Williams, President & Chief Scientist, DFINITY Foundation.
– Siim Sikkut (Estonia), Managing Partner and former Chief Information Officer, Estonia Government Digital Nation.
– Dr. Randolph Goebel (Canada), Professor, University of Alberta.
– Dr. Michael Sung (China), Founding Director, Apolonia Capital / Institute of DFI, China Academy of Sciences.
– Dr. Esther M Baldwin (USA), AI Strategist, Intel Corporation.
– Dr. Ali Al Azzawi (Saudi Arabia), Senior Advisor, Ministry of Investment.
– Dr. Kaveh Vameghi Vessali, Partner Digital, PwC Middle East.
– Ahmet Ussal Sahbaz (Turkey), Managing Partner, Ussal Consultancy.
– Luis Adrian Salazar Solis (Costa Rica), Professor, Latin University.
– Mark Bünger, CTO, Futurity Systems.
– Saqr Eraiqat (UAE), Secretary General, Dubai Digital Asset Association.

Additional representatives from organizations such as Intel, PwC, EY, UNU-EGOV, and others are anticipated, with possible involvement from Google and Meta. The presence of government-affiliated experts from countries like Estonia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and China further underscores the diplomatic and strategic dimensions of the gathering.

The invitation-only summit will prioritize high-level policy discussions on sovereign AI frameworks, national compute infrastructure, talent development, investment, trust mechanisms, and inclusive AI deployment including for women and persons with disabilities. It launches Indus AI Week, featuring public events such as the Innovation Arena (February 9–10 at Islamabad Sports Complex) with expos, workshops, hackathons, and activities nationwide.

The event occurs against a backdrop of heightened security following a suicide bombing at an Imambargah in Islamabad’s Tarlai Kalan on February 6, which caused multiple fatalities and injuries. Authorities have the capital on high alert. Enhanced security measures are expected in light of attendance by the Prime Minister, federal ministers, international experts, and diplomats.