Islamabad, February 10, 2026 – Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday said artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming central to Pakistan’s efforts to improve public service delivery, strengthen revenue administration, and promote evidence-based policymaking.
He was speaking at a panel discussion titled “AI for Public Service Transformation and SDG Acceleration” during the National Artificial Intelligence Workshop held in Islamabad.
Addressing the forum, Aurangzeb said countries across the globe are adopting artificial intelligence at varying speeds, depending on their economic structures and development priorities. For Pakistan, he emphasized, the focus must remain on applied and practical solutions that deliver measurable gains in efficiency, transparency, and productivity, rather than pursuing technology for its own sake.
The finance minister noted that AI-enabled systems are already playing a growing role in improving tax compliance, enforcement, and decision-making. He highlighted that the government’s ongoing tax transformation agenda, based on reforms in people, processes, and technology, is leveraging AI-driven customer relationship management systems, production monitoring tools, risk-based compliance mechanisms, and faceless customer processes.
“These interventions are aimed at reducing leakages, enhancing transparency, and improving revenue outcomes,” he said, adding that limiting discretionary human intervention through technology is essential to curbing inefficiencies and corruption. He further stated that AI-led systems have delivered tangible fiscal gains that would not have been possible through manual processes alone.
Touching on digital assets, Aurangzeb said the establishment of the Pakistan Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (PVARA) reflects the government’s intent to manage risks while integrating emerging technologies into the formal economy. Bringing such activities into a regulated framework, he added, is vital for financial stability and unlocking future economic potential.
He also underscored the importance of investing in human capital and skills development to enable Pakistan’s youth to access higher-value segments of the global technology ecosystem. Advanced technologies such as blockchain and data analytics, he said, can support productivity-led growth and expand income opportunities.
Concluding his remarks, the finance minister said artificial intelligence offers significant opportunities for Pakistan in areas including revenue mobilisation, public service delivery, and climate and population management. However, he cautioned that realizing these benefits would require clear policy direction, institutional readiness, and a coordinated, whole-of-government approach to digital transformation.
Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr Musadik Malik, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal were also present at the session.