The National Productivity Organization Pakistan and the Asian Productivity Organization convened an international workshop on promoting productivity through digitalization in Islamabad from October 6 to 9, 2025. The four-day event brought together policymakers, practitioners and experts across the Asia-Pacific region to focus on digital productivity and the practical steps organisations can take to harness emerging technologies.
Organisers welcomed 19 overseas delegates from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Türkiye and Vietnam alongside Pakistani participants, creating a platform for regional exchange and shared learning. The programme was opened at a local hotel in Islamabad and set out a packed agenda on policy, technology and organisational readiness.
Muhammad Alamgir Chaudhary, CEO of NPO Pakistan, welcomed the chief guest Karim Aziz Malik, Chairman/Incharge FPCCI Capital Office, and underscored the centrality of digital productivity for national competitiveness. He highlighted challenges including cybersecurity vulnerabilities, infrastructure gaps and environmental sustainability, and urged coordinated policy action, inclusive innovation and capacity building to ensure benefits are widely shared.
The workshop was led by Tomoyuki Yamada, Programme Officer from APO Tokyo, and featured international resource persons including Dr Suraya Sulaiman, Innovation Provocateur at Alpha Catalyst, Malaysia; Yuichi Ota, Partner at YCP Vietnam Company Limited; and Syed Ahmad, Founder & CEO of DPL (Pvt) Ltd, Pakistan. Presenters offered case studies and hands-on guidance on leveraging digital tools and AI to improve organisational efficiency and outcomes.
Key themes addressed included policies and strategies for digital transformation, emerging digital technologies and artificial intelligence, organisational change management and best practices from diverse sectors. Sessions demonstrated how practical steps and technologies can raise productivity while drawing attention to resilience measures for cybersecurity and sustainability considerations.
The workshop aimed to introduce the concept and significance of digitalization in enhancing productivity, demonstrate how digital tools including AI can lift efficiency within organisations, and share proven approaches for planning and implementing digital transformation. By the end of the event participants were expected to leave with practical skills to design and implement transformation projects, a clearer understanding of AI and other technologies, and actionable insights into policies and frameworks that support digital productivity.
In his remarks the chief guest noted that while digitalization opens many opportunities it also requires investment in infrastructure, education reform and robust regulatory frameworks to manage risks and ensure equitable outcomes. The opening session concluded with a group photograph of participants and guests, marking the start of several days of active discussion on advancing digital productivity in Pakistan and the region.
