Pakistan's National AI Policy 2025 in 6 numbers: targets, not results (yet)
1,000,000 AI professionals by 2030, 3,000 scholarships a year, two new funds. What Pakistan's AI policy promises, and what to watch for.
Pakistan has a target to train 1,000,000 AI professionals by 2030. Most people in our offices have never heard of it.
The federal cabinet approved Pakistan’s National AI Policy 2025 on 30 July 2025. The full policy is a public PDF on the Ministry of IT & Telecom’s website, and the cabinet decision was covered by Dawn and Geo News (links at the end). Here is the plan in six numbers, what each one means for you, and the honest caveat that comes with all of them.
The plan at a glance
| # | Target | Timeframe in the policy coverage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,000,000 AI professionals trained | By 2030 |
| 2 | 3,000 AI scholarships | Every year |
| 3 | 1,000 local AI products | Next 5 years |
| 4 | 50,000 AI-driven civic projects | Next 5 years |
| 5 | 1,000 research projects facilitated | Not specified in our sources |
| 6 | 2 new funds: an AI Innovation Fund and an AI Venture Fund | Not specified in our sources |
An AI Council, and a master plan with an action matrix, are meant to oversee implementation.
1. One million AI professionals by 2030
This is the headline number, and the one in Geo News’s headline. It is a training target: it tells you the government wants AI skills to spread far beyond a few specialists.
What it means for you: expect training programmes to be announced under this banner. If you are a student or early in your career, these are the announcements to watch, because a target this large only works if programmes are open to people outside elite universities.
2. 3,000 AI scholarships every year
A recurring, yearly number is more useful than a one-off, because it means there should be a cycle you can prepare for.
What it means for you: keep your transcripts, a short statement of what you want to build with AI, and any project links ready, so you can apply quickly when a call opens.
3. 1,000 local AI products in the next 5 years
This is the target that matters most to founders and product teams. “Local” is the key word: the policy is aiming for AI products built in Pakistan, not only AI tools imported and used here.
4. 50,000 AI-driven civic projects in the next 5 years
The policy coverage describes these as AI-driven civic projects. Of the six numbers, it is the largest count after the training target.
What it means for you: if you work with local government, NGOs or public-service teams, this is the target to watch.
5. 1,000 research projects to be facilitated
“Facilitated” is a softer word than “funded”. Read it as support for research, and check the details of any programme before assuming it comes with money.
6. Two new funds
The policy names an AI Innovation Fund and an AI Venture Fund. For founders, the funds are the part to track most closely. Our sources don’t give their size or how to apply yet, so treat any claim about amounts with care until it is official.
Kaam ki baat: targets are not results
Every number above is a target. None of them is evidence that something has already happened. That is not a criticism; it is simply what a policy document is. The useful question is not “is this impressive?” but “when does each part open, and who can apply?”
What to do today
- Students: bookmark the MoITT policy PDF and watch for the scholarship and training announcements.
- Freelancers: watch for the training programmes as they open up.
- Founders: track the AI Innovation Fund and AI Venture Fund, and keep a one-page summary of your product ready.
- Everyone: when you see a headline about the policy, check whether it describes a target or a result.
FAQ
Which of the six matters most?
It depends on who you are. Students will care most about the scholarships (2) and training (1); founders about the products target (3) and the funds (6). Tell us yours on LinkedIn.
Where can I read the policy itself?
The full text is the MoITT PDF linked in the sources below.
Sources
- Dawn, Federal cabinet approves National AI Policy 2025 . Published 30 Jul 2025
- Geo News, Cabinet approves AI policy to train 1m, launch 1,000 products
- Ministry of IT & Telecom (MoITT), National Artificial Intelligence Policy (PDF)
Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed above; every figure and link is checked against those sources before publishing. Spotted an error? Tell us. Discuss it on LinkedIn.