U.S. Delegation, IT Ministry Agree to Step Up Cooperation on Digital Skills and Human Capital Development

Pakistan and the United States agreed to expand cooperation in digital skills, youth training and human capital development.

The development followed as a high-level U.S. delegation met Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja in Islamabad.

Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja briefed the delegation on Pakistan’s large-scale digital upskilling strategy being implemented through PSEB and Ignite.

She said Pakistan is preparing youth for advanced global technology markets with training programs in 5G, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, data analytics, and full-stack development. She added that specialized certifications in Web Engineering, Cloud Infrastructure and Artificial Intelligence are fully aligned with international industry standards.

She said Ignite’s flagship DigiSkills program has trained more than 4.87 million people in freelancing, digital marketing, e-commerce and emerging technologies, including AI.

The minister noted that this has directly improved youth employability and strengthened Pakistan-U.S. economic linkages through online work platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork.

The minister also highlighted Ignite’s “Code4AI” initiative, which will train over 7,500 young Pakistanis in AI, Blockchain and Quantum Computing, opening opportunities for U.S. companies to remotely hire skilled Pakistani professionals.

The meeting reviewed ongoing cybersecurity capacity building, with the minister proposing ECA collaboration on cross-border hackathons, mentorship and training programs. She noted that Ignite’s Center of Excellence for Gaming and Animation offers strong potential for joint programs in animation, gaming, AR VR and digital content creation.

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The delegation was informed that Pakistan’s eight National Incubation Centers have supported more than 2,100 startups, generated over PKR 33 billion in revenue, attracted PKR 32 billion in investment and created more than 185,000 jobs nationwide.

U.S. officials also shared updates on programs such as Fulbright, IVLP, PFP, YES, TechWomen, TechGirls, and English Access. Both sides agreed to further expand university partnerships, including opportunities for U.S. professors to deliver advanced technology training to Pakistani students.

The meeting ended with a shared commitment to deepen academic cooperation, advance digital transformation, and enhance opportunities for Pakistani youth in the global technology economy.

The delegation included senior officials from the U.S. Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, along with the Minister Counselor for Public Diplomacy and representatives from the U.S. Embassy. Tech Valley Pakistan’s CEO, Umar Farooq, also joined the meeting.