Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan visited the Pakistan Industrial Technical Assistance Centre in Lahore and announced the establishment of a state-of-the-art AI Center to modernize Pakistan’s industrial landscape. The new AI Center will initially bolster local capacity at PITAC and is planned for expansion to all provinces under the direction of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Mr Khan said the Prime Minister has already instructed the launch of AI skills programs and additional AI Centers aimed at equipping youth with the competencies needed for the modern industrial era. The AI Center is intended to serve as a hub for training, applied research and industry collaboration that prepares technicians and engineers for advanced manufacturing roles.
To support AI development and machinery upgradation, PITAC, the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation and TUSDEC will establish a dedicated funding mechanism to finance modernization across sectors. Mr Khan noted that these funds will target upgrades in manufacturing equipment and facilities at PITAC to strengthen SME capability and promote import substitution.
PITAC has formally requested increased grants to meet upgradation needs, and under the upcoming National Industrial Policy both PIDC and PITAC will be further empowered to support innovation, local manufacturing and technical advancement. PITAC already produces industrial machinery and tools locally, contributing directly to reduced imports and improved domestic capacity.
The Special Assistant inspected PITAC laboratories and praised their performance, highlighting strengths in industrial automation, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), dies and molds, gauges, fixtures and related domains. He announced that PIDC will provide financing support for the new AI Center and endorsed the upgradation of key machines and facilities to deepen industry–academia linkages and strengthen export-oriented technical capacity.
Mr Khan directed SMEDA and PITAC to work with chambers of commerce to prepare a comprehensive business plan for AI centers, machinery upgradation and skill development programs. He emphasised that coordinated planning with the private sector will ensure the AI Center and related interventions meet market needs and help SMEs attain global industrial standards.
Highlighting PITAC’s role in human capital development, he noted that PITAC students have secured admissions in Scotland, China and other countries, reflecting the quality of technical education offered. During the visit he awarded a cash prize to a student who demonstrated outstanding performance and reiterated that Pakistan’s skilled youth are the country’s true asset and will lead the next industrial revolution.
