Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to transform Islamabad into a model smart city using the latest digital technologies. The move aims to improve education, healthcare, and connectivity through an integrated national strategy.
Speaking on Monday, the minister shared that the Ministry of IT has already funded fiber optic internet for all public schools, Basic Health Units (BHUs), and healthcare centers in the capital. Within the next six to eight months, all hospitals, schools, and police stations will be connected with high-speed internet.
Additionally, free public Wi-Fi will be introduced at key public locations such as metro bus stations through public-private partnerships. The Ministry of Education is fully supporting this digital transformation, especially in remote regions where EdTech tools will help ensure uninterrupted learning.
To further boost access to education, Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies will be taught from kindergarten to grade six. The smart education model launched in Islamabad will later expand to Gilgit-Baltistan and other underserved areas to provide digital learning in isolated schools.
On the healthcare front, the Ministry of IT is working with the Health Ministry on a “One Patient, One ID” initiative. This system will allow telemedicine services at BHUs, helping patients consult doctors online and keep digital medical records for better treatment tracking.
To prepare youth for global tech careers, the government aims to train 500,000 students in advanced digital skills. Google, Huawei, and Microsoft will collectively train hundreds of thousands of young Pakistanis. “Boys and girls will start learning AI at the primary level,” Shaza added, calling it a crucial step toward building a competitive digital economy.