Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC) has appointed the Rector of National University of Sciences and Technology, Dr. Muhammad Zahid Latif, as the National Chair on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in a major move aimed at accelerating the country’s technology and innovation ecosystem.
The initiative will be based at the NUST Islamabad campus and is expected to serve as a central national platform for policy direction, governance, strategic coordination, and long-term planning in the fields of AI and robotics.
According to reports, the National Chair will work alongside a panel of experts to assess and strengthen Pakistan’s AI and robotics landscape, particularly focusing on institutions supported by HEC, including the National Centre of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) and the National Centre of Robotics and Automation (NCRA).
The appointment highlights HEC’s growing emphasis on emerging technologies as Pakistan looks to compete in the global digital economy. Officials believe the initiative will help identify structural gaps, improve coordination among institutions, and create a unified national framework for AI-driven innovation.
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Dr. Zahid Latif described the appointment as both a recognition of NUST’s academic contributions and an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between academia, industry, government institutions, and innovators. He emphasized that Pakistan’s future in AI and robotics depends on building strong partnerships across multiple sectors.
The National Chair is also expected to benchmark Pakistan’s progress against international standards and propose strategies that can help transform the country into a competitive knowledge-based economy powered by intelligent systems, automation, and advanced technologies.
In recent years, Pakistan has increased its focus on artificial intelligence through academic programs, national research centers, startup incubators, and AI-related government initiatives. NUST has emerged as one of the leading institutions driving innovation in robotics, automation, cybersecurity, and machine learning research across the country.
The development comes at a time when countries worldwide are investing heavily in AI infrastructure, robotics research, and intelligent automation to reshape industries, governance systems, healthcare, education, and national security frameworks.
