Abu Dhabi, UAE – Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif today took center stage at a significant roundtable session titled “Innovate together: UAE-Pakistan Tech Collaboration,” held in Abu Dhabi. The event, a concerted effort by the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) and the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), was coordinated with the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and supported by the Pakistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi.
High-profile attendees included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Information Mr. Attaullah Tarar, Minister of State for IT and Telecom Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Syed Tariq Fatemi. The gathering also attracted representatives and leaders of IT companies from the UAE and prominent Pakistani IT experts.
In his address, Prime Minister Sharif underscored the enduring ties of brotherhood and mutual respect between Pakistan and the UAE, highlighting the robust institutional and people-to-people connections that bind the two nations. He emphasized their collective ambition to embrace innovation and progress, encouraging tech entrepreneurs, IT professionals, and firms from both countries to explore and enhance collaboration in IT and telecommunications.
Acknowledging the UAE’s leadership in digital transformation within the Middle East and its status as the third-largest market for Pakistan’s IT exports, Prime Minister Sharif called for deeper engagement between Pakistani IT enterprises and their UAE counterparts. The roundtable aimed to harness synergies in the IT and telecom sectors, providing a platform to celebrate success stories and lay the groundwork for future partnerships.
During an interactive discussion, the Prime Minister engaged with participants, addressing their comments and suggestions. He reaffirmed his government’s commitment to improving the investment ecosystem within Pakistan’s digital economy and extended an invitation to investors to visit and explore opportunities in the country.
A highlight of the event was the signing ceremony of three Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) between Pakistani and UAE IT companies, marking a significant step towards digital transformation. The session concluded with the distribution of mementos to UAE-based clients of Pakistani IT companies, recognizing their contributions to strengthening business-to-business cooperation.
The roundtable session not only underscored the mutual benefits of UAE-Pakistan collaboration but also charted a course for future partnerships aimed at driving innovation and enhancing business linkages in the IT sector.