Lahore: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif said while delivering a thought-provoking and historic speech at Big Data Industry Expo 2026 in Guiyang, China that it is a matter of great honour and prestige for her to participate in Guiyang, China’s “Big Data Capital.” She extended her heartiest congratulations to the People’s Government of Guizhou Province and the organizers of China International Big Data Expo 2026 on holding this historic global gathering; and added that ‘Big Data’ takes us towards a future where data will not only be securely stored but will also be trustworthy, verifiable and shareable. She highlighted that data will be transformed into economic and public value; and sincerely thanked China for its warm and magnificent hospitality during the visit. She noted that friendship between China and Pakistan is not merely a relationship between the two countries or governments, it is a strong bond built on trust, mutual respect and confidence between the peoples of two brotherly countries. She highlighted that when they build the future together, their achievements and strength grow even further.
Chief Minister Punjab said that Pak-China friendship continues to advance through the visionary leadership of President Xi Jinping, the longstanding and historic services of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, and the continued commitment of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. She took pride in coming with the responsibility of carrying forward the great legacy of Pak-China friendship; as Pakistan wants to take this friendship into a new frontier of data, technology and joint innovation. She noted that even before the world had fully recognized the true importance of data, Guizhou had already understood its significance; as data is not merely a technical by-product of administrative affairs, rather it is a fundamental and critical infrastructure.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said that Punjab is a province benefiting the most from Artificial Intelligence in Pakistan; as Punjab Government is fully prepared to become a part of the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence. She vowed to establish a digital governance system where trusted data, identity, public services, infrastructure, energy, financial systems and economic opportunities are interconnected. She acknowledged that governing Punjab, with a population of 128 million, has taught them the fundamental principle of data that data should not merely be collected; but it must be transformed into practical action; and in order to achieve this objective, they are building a sovereign, secure and intelligent digital foundation. She noted that at the heart of this system is a province-wide shared data engine called “OneMap,”through which more than 12 terabytes of geographic data from 31 departments and over 6,000 datasets are being integrated into a unified system. She underscored that “OneMap” can support planning, resolution of land-related disputes and more informed urban development.
Chief Minister Punjab said that Punjab Government is also linking “OneMap” with Punjab Socio-Economic Registry; and through the integrated “OneMap” system, the government will better understand citizens’ needs, target resources more effectively and deliver the right services to the right people. She added that alongside these systems, they are also developing a “Punjab Data Lake,” which is further strengthening their sovereign digital capacity; and they will be able to secure, store and process data and harness its real value. She underscored that government is also developing a sovereign cloud, digital identity, interoperable government systems and an Artificial Intelligence-based implementation system; as Punjab is the first province to establish its own dedicated “AI Office” to bring Artificial Intelligence to the centre of governance.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif noted that objective of the AI Office is to enable better decision-making, faster public services, greater transparency and a more effective and accountable government; and said that Punjab’s Safe City project demonstrates how technology can be transformed into real public benefit. She added that through integrated systems and AI-based analytics, they are making their cities safer; as they are improving emergency response and making policing more proactive, predictive and effective. She flashed that if data can help a businessperson demonstrate financial credibility without traditional collateral, it is a real transformation; and if data can help the government accurately identify vulnerable and deserving families to provide them assistance more effectively, that is the real public value. She stated that if data can provide farmers with timely information and targeted support, it is the real development.
Chief Minister Punjab said that data can help tailor education to the needs of every student and strengthen the healthcare system; and data can enable environmental institutions to make evidence-based decisions instead of relying on assumptions. She noted that behind every algorithm, every database entry and every token there is not a cold and lifeless data, but a human life and a real need. She added that their next phase is not simply about collecting more and more data, but about putting data to practical use. She was glad to express that Guizhou chose this path; and Punjab must also move forward in the same direction.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said that Pakistan and China are further deepening their all-weather friendship; and they should build a new corridor of data, innovation and shared ideas alongside their physical and land-based connectivity. She stated that there are tremendous opportunities for Chinese companies in Punjab; and invited Chinese technology companies, investors and infrastructure leaders to partner with Punjab; as she urged upon them to invest in infrastructure of energy, computing, cloud, connectivity and tokenization that will power Pakistan’s digital future. She added that Punjab does not want to be merely a consumer of technology; it wants to be an equal partner in technology creation and innovation; and in line with the vision presented by President Xi Jinping, digital economy should become a force for innovation, development and shared prosperity. She hoped that Pakistan and China can jointly transform this vision into a new chapter of cooperation. –PR
