Envoy seeks shift from 'CT to IT' with US

Washington forum showcases 16 Pakistani tech firms in AI, cloud, fintech and health tech

WASHINGTON:

Pakistan wants to move its relationship with the United States from counterterrorism to information technology, Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh told a tech forum in Washington, describing the shift from "CT to IT" as the goal that would yield a mutually rewarding partnership.

"A key goal is to make a transition in the bilateral relationship from 'CT to IT,' moving from counterterrorism to information technology," the ambassador said at Pakistan-US Tech Connect 2026, hosted by the embassy with the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication, OPEN Global and the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB).

The forum brought senior leadership from 16 Pakistani companies in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data analytics, fintech and healthcare technology together with American counterparts, according to a statement issued on Thursday. It was designed as an executive networking forum to unlock partnerships across enterprise solutions, digital transformation, product development and strategic IT collaboration.

Attendees included Sindh Governor Syed Nehal Hashmi, representatives of major US technology and financial firms, multilateral institutions, government agencies and the Pakistani American business community. Structured executive panel discussions and curated business-to-business sessions sought to convert Pakistan's IT export capacity into commercial relationships.

The ambassador said the showcase aimed to display the "best and brightest" from the Pakistani tech industry directly to stakeholders in Washington, and its ability to meet international standards in fields such as AI.

"Each time Pakistan and the United States have come together, we have produced results, and results not only for ourselves in the bilateral domain, but results for the whole world," he said. Hashmi urged the delegation to convert digital capabilities into tangible outcomes, including qualified business opportunities, pilot projects and high-value contracts, saying US enterprises seek partners able to deliver long-term value.

PSEB Chief Executive Officer Faisal Jeddy, Ignite CEO Bilal Abbasi and OPEN Global DC Chapter President Hassan Khalid cited the expansion of Pakistan's technology sector, noting that the country offers technical talent while the US offers market opportunities.

Panel discussions addressed a shift away from routine IT services and labour arbitrage towards proprietary intellectual property and scalable product innovation.