HANGZHOU: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif visited the headquarters of Alibaba Group in Hangzhou, where strategic memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and agreements were signed between Pakistani public and private sector institutions and the Chinese tech giant to accelerate Pakistan’s digital transformation and technological development.
Senior federal ministers and high-ranking officials accompanied the prime minister, while senior executives of Alibaba Group were also present at the occasion.
The prime minister and Alibaba Group Chairman Joe Tsai attended the signing ceremony of multiple MoUs, aimed at strengthening cooperation in artificial intelligence, cloud solutions, digital trade, fintech, SME development and healthcare innovation.
Under a strategic framework agreement, Alibaba Cloud and Pakistan’s Ignite will collaborate on developing AI models in Urdu and regional languages. The initiative also includes a nationwide skills development program targeting up to 500,000 individuals.
The agreement further provides for joint AI hackathons and innovation-driven activities to promote technological entrepreneurship in Pakistan.
In the health sector, DAMO Academy and Sky 47 will introduce AI-based diagnostic systems in Pakistani cities, while another program will enhance embedded intelligence capabilities in universities through collaboration with Pakistani institutions.
For small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Alibaba and SMEDA will onboard at least 2,000 Pakistani businesses into a dedicated “Pakistan Pavilion,” enabling access to AI-powered business tools and global markets.
Additionally, Cocotech will introduce a “Buy Now, Pay Later” service in Pakistan, backed by an initial investment of USD 3 million to promote financial inclusion and digital commerce.
The prime minister welcomed Alibaba Group’s long-term commitment to Pakistan, calling the agreements a milestone in strengthening Pak-China economic and technological cooperation.
He said these initiatives would open new avenues for investment, innovation, employment generation and digital growth, while positioning Pakistan as an emerging regional hub in the digital economy.
