A Chinese delegation met Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and expressed its intent to invest $700 million in the province. The chief minister approved the investment proposal in principle, marking a significant boost for Punjab’s IT and infrastructure sectors.
Chengdu ICT General Coordinator and Huawei Deputy Chief Executive Officer Yu Ray led the delegation during the meeting. An official statement revealed that a collaborative e-taxi service will soon be launched in Punjab, backed by Chengdu’s expertise.
In addition to the e-taxi service, a Chinese company will establish a Computing Centre in Lahore’s Nawaz Sharif IT City. The meeting also saw agreements to set up a Data and Cloud Centre, with the Punjab government providing land and building facilities for the project. Furthermore, the Chinese firm will support the development of an e-commerce platform in Pakistan, along with training Pakistani youth in online global trading.
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Other projects in collaboration with China include the establishment of a smart control room in Lahore to enhance traffic control, transport management, and sanitation services. Phase Two of the initiative will see the creation of an AI Industry Centre, aiming to equip the younger generation with artificial intelligence skills. China has also committed to providing platform service capacity assistance for these projects.
The partnership further includes plans to attract local investment and establish industries as part of the Third Phase of the initiative. Speaking on the occasion, CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif emphasized her vision for Punjab, stating, “We want to make Punjab the biggest artificial intelligence centre with the cooperation of China. Punjab will soon become an IT hub in the region, and we want our youth to excel in the IT sector.”
