By Shakeel Ahmed
ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday said a combination of governance and innovative technology could lead Pakistan towards rapid development in key sectors including health, agriculture and industry.
Addressing at the launch of two-day ‘1st showcasing of Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things (IoT) Products & Services’ here at COMSTECH, the President said the country could become a major global player in technology by aligning expertise with future demands.
The national exhibit organized by COMSTECH, the Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) showcased services and products in areas including Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Assistants, Robots and Chatbots, Data Analytics, Cyber Security, Digital Transformation – 5G, Virtual Augmented Reality, Block Chain and Business Intelligence. President Alvi, also the chairman of COMSTECH, termed data as the ‘new gold of contemporary age’, which he said could be used to gain maximum benefit to boost economy and enhance exports.
He mentioned that China and Japan were the prominent examples of making strides in development by combining system of governance with technology. The President said Pakistan was working towards implementation of digital payment system for smooth and fast financial transactions. He said with agriculture as the country’s backbone, the use of drones for harvest operations and pest sprays, and monitoring crop growth through digital-imaging capabilities could help the farmers in correct assessment about their fields.
The President stressed better optimization of the country’s big database of individuals to explore areas that required more attention. He termed three stages important in making difference in the field of Artificial Intelligence, including concept and innovation, translating it into product and effective marketing.
President Alvi said the COMSTECH could play an effective role in promotion of science and technology in Islamic countries and expressed confidence that the exhibit would provide academics and industries a platform to jointly pave way towards the journey of technological development.
Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said ‘Think Future’ and ‘Made in Pakistan’ was the two-pronged approach of his ministry with an objective of translating research into products.
