Pakistan launches semiconductor training drive, seeks partnership with Saudi Arabia - As-salamu alaykum
As-salamu alaykum. Pakistan on Tuesday began a national semiconductor training drive aimed at building chip-design skills and lowering reliance on foreign technology, and officials say the country intends to cooperate closely with Saudi Arabia’s semiconductor sector.
The five-year INSPIRE Initiative, worth Rs 4.8 billion ($17.2 million), plans to train about 3,200 young professionals and set up nine university clusters along with six modern integrated-circuit labs.
Authorities say the program will link universities, industry and government to lay the groundwork for Pakistan’s semiconductor ecosystem.
“We have launched two programs,” said Dr. Naveed Shirwani, head of the country’s semiconductor task force. “One will make it easier for Pakistani companies to operate in Saudi Arabia without extra costs, and the other connects our young talent with Saudi semiconductor firms.”
“The National Semiconductor Hub of Saudi Arabia has named Pakistan its first spoke, tying the two countries together to collaborate,” he added.
Semiconductors - the tiny chips that power phones, cars, medical devices and defense systems - have become a strategic global priority. Recent supply-chain problems have pushed countries to develop local design and production so they can protect what many see as vital for economic and national security.
Shirwani described the effort as more than training or chip design, calling it a move toward “digital sovereignty.” He said that without control over data, connectivity and the ability to draw insights from them, true possession is questionable. He stressed that these capabilities rely on cybersecurity and semiconductors, noting that services like hospitals and schools depend on having reliable domestic technology.
“This is the first step,” he said. “We are starting with training, but ultimately we must build our full semiconductor industry. We have no alternative.”
Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima said the initiative signals Pakistan’s entry into a global market forecast to reach trillions and to require around one million skilled workers by 2030. “We are trying to create a full chip-design and research ecosystem for Pakistan,” she said, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who opened the program, warned that countries leading in artificial intelligence and semiconductors “will shape the future.” He promised participants that his government would provide extra funding as needed to keep the initiative going.
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