As 2025 unfolds, Pakistan’s public sector stands at a pivotal crossroads—embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) not just as a buzzword, but as a strategic tool for governance, citizen services, and data-driven policy. With the country's growing urban population, strained public services, and digital infrastructure maturing, AI is beginning to play a transformational role in state functions.

A Slow but Significant Start

Pakistan’s public sector has historically been slow to adopt emerging technologies, often constrained by bureaucracy, funding limitations, and a skills gap. But recent years have seen a subtle shift:

The Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) began piloting AI-driven traffic monitoring systems in Lahore in 2024.

NADRA has started using AI-enhanced facial recognition to speed up biometric verifications for national ID renewals and refugee management.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced AI-powered anomaly detection to flag suspicious tax filings, aiming to improve collection without increasing audits.

These changes reflect a growing political will to explore smart governance tools, even if implementation remains uneven.

Key Public AI Initiatives

1. Smart Health Insights:

The Ministry of National Health Services is piloting an AI platform to forecast disease outbreaks, particularly dengue and measles, using climate, mobility, and past health data. The tool, developed in collaboration with Pakistani healthtech startup SehatSync, is expected to roll out nationwide by the end of 2025.

2. AI in Judicial Workflows:

The Lahore High Court has begun a trial of AI-assisted legal research tools to streamline case referencing and reduce backlogs. The system, still in beta, helps judges access relevant precedents within seconds—improving efficiency in the otherwise clogged judicial system.

3. AI in Agriculture:

The Ministry of Food Security, in partnership with Pak AgriTech Alliance, is using AI to analyze satellite and drone data for crop yield forecasting and pest detection in Punjab and Sindh—potentially saving billions in crop losses annually.

Challenges and Cautions

Despite the progress, Pakistan’s public AI landscape is riddled with challenges:

Data privacy laws remain underdeveloped, raising ethical concerns around surveillance and biometric use.

Institutional resistance remains high, especially among lower-level bureaucrats unfamiliar with digital tools.

There is no national AI governance framework yet—though a draft AI policy from the Ministry of IT and Telecom has been circulated for public comment in early 2025.

Opportunities and Global Interest

Pakistan's growing pool of AI startups and data science professionals, along with international partnerships with organizations like UNDP and World Bank, present a promising support system.

The Digital Pakistan 2.0 strategy launched this year includes a roadmap to integrate AI across 25 federal departments by 2028—an ambitious but timely goal.

Conclusion

While still early in its journey, AI adoption in Pakistan’s public sector in 2025 reflects a shift from experimentation to execution. The next frontier will be regulatory maturity, workforce readiness, and sustained investment—ensuring that AI doesn’t just make headlines, but meaningfully improves lives across Pakistan.

References

Digital Pakistan 2.0 Strategy (Ministry of IT & Telecom, 2025)

Punjab IT Board Annual Report (2024)

SehatSync Pilot Report (2025)

Lahore High Court LegalTech Initiative Briefing (2025)

FBR AI-Driven Analytics Update (2024–2025)

UNDP AI for Governance Assessment (Pakistan Chapter, 2025)