Punjab and Huawei have agreed to broaden cooperation on artificial intelligence, cloud systems, digital infrastructure and technology training.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif met senior Huawei officials during her visit to China. Company representatives warmly welcomed her delegation, while she invited Huawei to invest in Nawaz Sharif IT City.
The talks covered smart public services, smart cities and command centres. They also addressed healthcare, education, agriculture and manufacturing.
Huawei Training Plan Targets Punjab Youth
The two sides agreed to train 1,000 young people from Punjab as Huawei master trainers. Huawei will separately provide AI training to 300 women trainers.
Officials also reviewed a proposal for an Artificial Intelligence Delivery Unit in Punjab. The Express Tribune reported a sovereign centre and six other data centres at Nawaz Sharif IT City.
APP and Dawn described six centres in total, including a sovereign facility. The participants also agreed to appoint a focal person for coordination between Huawei and the Pakistani government.
Their roadmap covers AI, cloud technology, infrastructure, talent development and smart public services.
Maryam described AI advancement as a provincial priority. She said Punjab ranked among Pakistan and South Asia’s most active regions for technology adoption.
“Talent development and inclusive access to technology are key pillars of Punjab’s strategy,” she said.
The chief minister said Punjab would develop cloud computing, digital infrastructure and locally developed AI models. She added that partnerships with global technology companies could produce a more innovative and citizen-focused province.
OneMap to Power Punjab Data Lake
At the Big Data Industry Expo 2026, Maryam announced Punjab’s first dedicated data centre, called the Punjab Data Lake. She also invited Chinese technology companies, investors and infrastructure leaders to invest in the province.
A state-level common data engine called OneMap will sit at the system’s centre. It will combine more than 12 terabytes of geospatial data from 31 departments and over 6,000 datasets.
“OneMap can help in planning, resolving land-related disputes and promoting more informed urban development,” Maryam said.
The government is also linking OneMap with the Punjab Socio-Economic Registry. Officials say that connection should help departments identify citizens’ needs and target public resources more accurately.
Wider AI and Digital Governance Push
The latest talks fit Punjab’s broader AI Vision 2029. The province has created an AI Office and plans to use artificial intelligence across governance and service delivery.
Officials told Huawei that Punjab already uses AI in Safe Cities, agriculture and traffic management. They also outlined its application in healthcare, education and infrastructure.
Punjab’s 2026-27 budget set aside Rs14.6 billion for One Map @ Punjab. It also proposed Rs2 billion for provincial AI infrastructure.
A senior Huawei executive said the company would keep working with Punjab on digital transformation and sustainable development.
However, the announcements did not specify Huawei’s investment value, project deadlines, procurement terms or safeguards for data access. Those details will determine how quickly the proposed systems move from planning to operation.
