Lahore: Pakistan must accelerate the digital transformation of its economy by adopting successful Chinese models of digital infrastructure, innovation and data-driven industrial development.
Speaking at a think-tank session held here at Pakistan-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) on Friday, PCJCCI Commercial Ambassador Adeel Munawar said that Pakistan must transition from a conventional industrial economy to a technology-enabled digital economy capable of supporting sustainable growth, increasing exports, and enhancing global competitiveness.
He stressed that the establishment of integrated computing network hubs and modern data centers across the country would lay the foundation for advanced technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, cloud computing, blockchain, and smart manufacturing. According to him, these technologies are becoming essential drivers of economic productivity, industrial modernization, and investment attraction worldwide.
Adeel Munawar highlighted China’s remarkable achievements in building national computing hubs across strategic regions, including the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Chengdu-Chongqing, Guizhou Province, and Inner Mongolia. He suggested that Pakistan could replicate a similar framework by establishing integrated digital infrastructure in major commercial and industrial centers such as Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Peshawar, Quetta, Hyderabad, Islamabad, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
He noted that a nationwide computing network would facilitate seamless data sharing, improve industrial efficiency, strengthen digital governance, and encourage innovation across multiple sectors. Modern data centers would support industrial automation, financial services, disaster management, telemedicine, e-commerce, logistics, education, and digital communication while creating new employment opportunities for Pakistan’s growing youth population.
Commercial Ambassador further stated that China has demonstrated how strategic investment in digital infrastructure can stimulate high-quality economic development. He urged Pakistan to prioritize the development of energy-efficient data centers, regional digital clusters, high-speed broadband, 5G connectivity, fiber-optic networks, and digital skills development to build an innovation-driven economy capable of competing in the global digital marketplace.