Huawei to help make Lahore smart city

CM invites Chinese firm to set up manufacturing plant in Punjab

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and the Huawei Technologies have decided to make Lahore the first modern smart city of Pakistan with the cooperation of the Chinese firm.

During her visit to the company's Bantian headquarters in Shenzhen, the chief minister discussed various initiatives to make Lahore a modern digital city.

She invited the president of Huawei Technologies to visit Lahore and make investment in Pakistan, especially Punjab.

She offered Huawei cooperation in setting up an office in the Nawaz Sharif IT City and after-sales service centres across Punjab.

The chief minister also discussed issues relating to e-commerce, ecosystem and ICT infrastructure development, digitisation of health and education departments.

She assured Huawei of her full cooperation in setting up an assembly and manufacturing plant in Punjab.

The chief minister was briefed in detail by Huawei President Wang Chengdong about the company's ongoing projects in Pakistan, especially Punjab. She discussed with him Huawei's projects in the health and education sectors, apprised him of the Safe City projects in Punjab and vowed to make Lahore Pakistan's first modern smart city with the help of Huawei.

She said the vision of Digital Punjab would be implemented with the cooperation of Huawei.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said, "The vision of Digital Punjab will be realised with the cooperation of Huawei. We want to benefit from Huawei's expertise in telecommunication and digitisation."

She highlighted, "Punjab's first full-fledged AI university will benefit from Huawei's professional skills."

She said, "Huawei will assist in capacity building and IT research at Nawaz Sharif IT City. We want to introduce Punjab's youth to the latest digital technologies with Huawei's assistance."

She underscored, "Huawei will also assist Punjab in ecosystem development."

She said, "Lahore's first Safe City project was established in collaboration with Huawei."

Later, the CM reached Yantian district from Shanghai and visited BGI Genomics, a world-renowned medicine company for the treatment of cancer and genetic diseases. An MoU was signed between the Punjab government and BGI for cooperation in cancer treatment and other matters.

A proposal to introduce new techniques of rice production and establish a health sector working group was also reviewed.

She met Wang Jian, President of BGI Genomics. The company is working with the health department to treat cancer and will support the Punjab government.

The chief minister invited investment in laboratories for genetic tests and medical sample transportation in Punjab besides inviting BGI Genomics to establish a research centre in Punjab.

The Chinese company responded positively to the offer and reiterated its commitment to increasing cooperation.

The CM suggested strengthening research culture in agriculture universities with the cooperation of the BGI Group.

She was informed that BGI Genomics is providing genetic research and services in more than 100 countries, introducing the latest genetic methods in the treatment of various diseases.