Pakistan-US Tech Connect 2026 brings together 16 Pakistani technology companies and American stakeholders to build partnerships in AI, fintech, cloud computing and digital innovation.
WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, has called for shifting bilateral engagement from traditional security concerns towards information technology, describing digital cooperation as a promising avenue for economic partnership.
He made the remarks at Pakistan-US Tech Connect 2026, hosted by the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, DC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, OPEN Global and the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB).
The event brought together senior representatives of 16 Pakistani technology companies specialising in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data analytics, financial technology and healthcare technology. Participants included Sindh Governor Syed Nehal Hashmi, US technology and financial firms, government agencies and multilateral institutions.
Ambassador Sheikh said the initiative aimed to showcase Pakistani companies’ capabilities and establish commercial relationships with American counterparts.
He called for a transition from “CT to IT”, referring to counterterrorism and information technology, and said technological alignment could deliver mutually beneficial results.
Governor Hashmi urged Pakistani firms to turn their digital expertise into tangible business opportunities, pilot projects and high-value contracts.
PSEB Chief Executive Faisal Jeddy, Ignite CEO Bilal Abbasi and OPEN Global’s Washington chapter president, Hassan Khalid, also highlighted Pakistan’s technology talent and the opportunities offered by the US market.
Panel discussions emphasised moving beyond routine IT services and labour-cost advantages towards proprietary intellectual property and scalable product development.
The organisers said structured discussions and business-to-business meetings were intended to foster sustainable partnerships and strengthen technology-led economic engagement between Pakistan and the United States.