National Technology Park to empower millions of youth, especially women, says PM Shehbaz

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the National Technology Park in Islamabad, the prime minister said the project would create opportunities to empower millions of young people, particularly women. He said the facility had been developed along modern lines and would offer opportunities for incubation centres, innovation activities, young entrepreneurs, students and teachers.

By acquiring expertise in advanced technologies, young people would be able to play an important role in Pakistan’s economic development. Shehbaz Sharif said the successful operation of the National Technology Park would pave the way for establishing similar technology parks in all four provinces.

He added that artificial intelligence and information technology could be used across various sectors, including agriculture, industry, manufacturing, minerals and government services. The prime minister said the foundation for the project was laid in 2017 and 2018, but it subsequently faced delays.

He stressed that the priority now was to complete the project and make it available to young people as soon as possible rather than engage in political point-scoring. He appreciated the efforts of the project team, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Information Technology and relevant officials, saying their hard work had helped move the initiative forward.

He added that he had personally reviewed the project's progress in several meetings to ensure its early completion and enable young people to benefit from it. During his address, the prime minister also recalled his longstanding ties with South Korea, saying he first visited the country in 1985 and made further visits in 1997 and 1998.

Shehbaz Sharif praised South Korea’s economic progress and hardworking workforce, saying Pakistan could also achieve new milestones in development by promoting modern technologies and improving the professional skills of its young people.