ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, here on Monday announced that Islamabad will be transformed into a digitally smart city.

Speaking to the media after the meeting of Senate Standing Committee on IT & telecom, she highlighted that the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to ensure this transformation at a fast pace.

The move aims to improve education, healthcare, and connectivity through an integrated national strategy.

The minister said that the IT ministry has already funded fibre connectivity for all public schools, basic health units (BHUs), and health sectors in the federal capital.

She added that within the next six to eight months, all schools, hospitals, and police stations in Islamabad will be fiberised to ensure seamless digital access.

The minister highlighted that free public Wi-Fi will be provided at selected locations across the city, and work is ongoing through public-private partnerships to bring connectivity to metro buses and public spaces.

Ms Fatima emphasised the full support of the Ministry of Education in these digital initiatives and said the government is using EdTech solutions to extend education to remote and underserved regions.

“We are introducing AI and emerging technologies education starting from kindergarten up to grade six,” she noted and added, “The Prime Minister wants every child in Islamabad to receive quality education.”

The same model will be replicated in Gilgit-Baltistan and other remote areas to ensure equitable access to digital education.

The minister also shared that the ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, is working on a ’One Patient, One ID system, and all BHUs will be connected to the internet via telemedicine solutions, enabling access to online specialist consultations.

The IT minister also said that to embed IT education into mainstream learning, the Prime Minister has formed a committee to include IT curriculum at all levels.

The government aims to train 500,000 youth in modern IT skills with the help of the private sector. “Google will train 200,000 students, Huawei 300,000, and Microsoft 200,000, through their respective programmes,” she announced.

“Boys and girls will begin learning AI from the primary level, equipping our future generations with the tools of the digital age, but we also want that through coordinated efforts, Pakistan’s IT workforce has to meet the global standards,” she said.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2025