Chinese technology giant Alibaba Cloud has expressed strong interest in Punjab’s information technology sector as the provincial government seeks deeper cooperation on artificial intelligence and digital public services.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz held talks with a high-level Alibaba Cloud delegation during her visit to China. The company’s officials praised Punjab’s efforts to integrate AI into governance and public service delivery.
The meeting focused on using artificial intelligence in agriculture, healthcare, socio-economic programmes and climate forecasting. Both sides also considered a strategic partnership for wider use of AI in public services.
Maryam said Punjab was moving quickly to incorporate new technologies into government operations.
“We are pursuing a policy of using artificial intelligence and other technologies today rather than tomorrow,” she said.
Punjab Seeks Wider AI Cooperation With Alibaba Cloud
Maryam welcomed Chinese cooperation in artificial intelligence and other IT technologies.
She said Punjab had become Pakistan’s first province to establish an artificial intelligence policy. The provincial government approved its first AI Roadmap earlier this year and has set a target to become South Asia’s most AI-enabled province by 2029.
The government has also created a dedicated AI Office and is building AI tools into its governance structure.
Earlier this year, Maryam and members of the Punjab cabinet took part in an AI training programme. Experts from Google for Education briefed ministers on the practical use of AI in governance and policymaking.
Maryam told the Alibaba delegation that government officials and cabinet members had received AI training.
She also linked Punjab’s technology push with education reforms.
“The idea of teaching artificial intelligence to children in government schools came after seeing students in Beijing,” she said.
The chief minister said Punjab would increasingly expose schoolchildren to emerging technologies so they could compete in the global digital economy.
Punjab officials have said AI education is being introduced from Grade 1. The government has also been developing teacher training and digital education programmes with international technology partners.
Maryam said Punjab has the fourth-largest young, skilled workforce and holds a leading position in the digital economy.
AI Scanner Pilot Planned for Punjab Healthcare
Healthcare emerged as another major area of discussion with Alibaba Cloud.
During the meeting, Maryam reviewed an AI-powered multi-disease screening system and directed health authorities to prepare a pilot project for Punjab.
The technology uses non-contrast CT scans and can potentially screen for several diseases within about two minutes.
Officials said the system could help detect pancreatic, liver, gastric, esophageal and colorectal cancers. It can also assist with cardiovascular risk assessment, osteoporosis and fatty liver detection.
The technology would support doctors rather than replace conventional diagnostic methods.
The system could help speed up screening and allow doctors to identify serious diseases at an earlier stage.
Alibaba Cloud officials also discussed the potential role of AI in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Senior Vice President Li Jiaping briefed Maryam about the company’s operations and technological capabilities.
Alibaba Cloud also welcomed an MoU signed in the presence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Company representatives said discussions were underway regarding the possible establishment of a data centre in Pakistan.
Maryam also briefed the delegation on Punjab’s major healthcare projects.
She said the province was building what she described as the world’s largest public-sector cancer hospital.
The Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research is under construction in Lahore. Punjab government documents describe it as a 915-bed facility, while the provincial budget puts its cost at around Rs75 billion.
The government plans to provide treatment for advanced cancer patients at the hospital.
China Visit Focuses on Punjab’s Digital Economy
The talks with Alibaba Cloud form part of Maryam Nawaz’s wider technology-focused engagements during her China visit.
She has also met representatives of other major Chinese technology companies.
During a meeting with Huawei, Maryam invited the company to invest in Nawaz Sharif IT City and discussed a strategic partnership aimed at making Punjab more AI-enabled.
She also addressed a big data industry expo during the visit and outlined Punjab’s plans for sovereign cloud infrastructure, digital identity and interoperable government systems.
“We want to be able to secure data, store it, process it and unlock its real value,” she said at the event.
Punjab has already started using AI in several government areas.
Officials told the Alibaba delegation that AI applications are operating in Safe Cities, agriculture, healthcare, education and infrastructure.
The meeting also covered small and medium enterprises and possible opportunities for overseas Pakistanis.
For Punjab, cooperation with Alibaba Cloud could provide access to global expertise in cloud computing, artificial intelligence and data infrastructure.
No final investment amount or timetable for a formal strategic partnership was announced.
However, Alibaba Cloud’s interest adds to Punjab’s efforts to attract Chinese technology companies while expanding the use of AI across government services.
The provincial government is now seeking to turn its AI roadmap into operational projects, with healthcare, education, agriculture and public administration among its main priorities.
