National Assembly speaker stresses inclusive AI governance at the Pakistan Governance Forum 2026 in Islamabad
Federal Minister for Planning and Development [left] and Ahsan Iqbal National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq [right] in Pakistan Governance Forum 2026 on February 26, 2026
Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday announced that the government will publish a constituency-level development data directory aimed at providing detailed insights into development indicators and promoting transparency.
Addressing the Pakistan Governance Forum 2026 in Islamabad on its second day, the minister said the Ministry of Planning and Development had largely completed work on the initiative. He noted that the directory would foster “positive competition among public representatives in the development sector.”
Iqbal also underscored the need for an empowered local government system, saying stronger grassroots structures were essential to improving the overall governance framework. He further called for parliamentary debate on the Five Es of the Uraan Pakistan programme — exports, e-Pakistan, energy, environment, and equity and empowerment — aimed at steering the country towards sustainable, technology-driven, and inclusive economic growth.
Speaking at the forum, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq described the event as an important initiative and reiterated parliament’s central role in a democratic system.
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He stressed the need for an inclusive global digital architecture, asserting that artificial intelligence should benefit the many rather than the few. “Developing countries must have a voice in shaping global norms,” he said, adding that parliament must build its capacity to legislate on critical areas such as data protection, digital rights, and responsible innovation.
The speaker also highlighted the importance of diversifying partnerships, strengthening regional connectivity, championing multilateralism, and investing in human capital for sustained national progress.
Later, speaking to the media, Ayaz Sadiq said enhancing governance from the grassroots to the top was a collective responsibility. He emphasized that improving the functioning of institutions was vital to strengthening the country’s governance system.
Earlier, he said the Pakistan Governance Forum would prove beneficial for better governance and transparency, adding that legislation related to governance was already underway. He also noted that accountability remained essential for ensuring transparency and revealed that some powers of the Speaker’s office had been delegated to a committee.
Yesterday, at the inaugural session of the Pakistan Governance Forum 2026, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for a “whole-of-government” approach to tackle Pakistan’s economic challenges, urging stakeholders to move forward with collective efforts toward sustainable growth. He lamented that the country was suffering annual power theft of around Rs200 billion and stressed that only coordinated institutional action could address the issue.
The premier reiterated that the government’s role was to facilitate — not run — businesses, emphasising support for exporters, investors, and the private sector through targeted incentives. Expressing optimism about Pakistan’s economic potential, he said the country could strengthen its global standing within a few years through strong political will and joint efforts.
Shehbaz also highlighted the need to expand the tax base, noting that Pakistan’s tax-to-GDP ratio had reached 10.5% due to recent measures. He underscored the importance of boosting production, exports, investment, and foreign direct investment, while calling for across-the-board reductions in indirect taxes in the upcoming budget. The prime minister regretted that taxes collected from consumers were sometimes not deposited with the government, terming it a “huge injustice” to the nation.
Read More: PM Shehbaz urges ‘whole-of-government approach’ to overcome economic crisis
Pointing to sectoral gains, he said tax collection had improved in the sugar, cement, and tobacco industries, while the IT sector recorded 34% growth but still held significant untapped potential. Stressing the importance of the country’s youth bulge, he called for expanded technical and vocational training, saying IT- and AI-led initiatives would transform multiple sectors.
Separately, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal told the forum that the initiative aimed to generate actionable policy solutions through debate and stakeholder engagement. He said good governance must be merit-based, transparent, and citizen-focused, adding that the Uraan Pakistan programme was designed to play a transformational role in the economy. The minister claimed that over the past two years, the government had pulled the country back from the brink of bankruptcy and expressed confidence that, with sustained reforms and positive synergy, Pakistan could become a $1 trillion economy by 2035.
