Pakistan wants its relationship with Washington to move away from counterterrorism and toward information technology, the country’s ambassador to the United States has said. Rizwan Saeed Sheikh made the case at a tech forum in Washington, calling the change “CT to IT” a key goal for Pakistan US relations. He framed it as a route to a partnership that would benefit both countries.
Counterterrorism has long been a central theme in Pakistan’s dealings with the United States. The ambassador’s remarks point to a wish to widen that engagement into digital trade, skills and business links.
What the Washington forum showed
The event, titled Pakistan-US Tech Connect 2026, was hosted by the embassy along with Pakistan’s IT and telecom ministry, OPEN Global and PSEB, short for Pakistan Software Export Board. It brought together leaders from 16 Pakistani companies working in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data analytics, fintech and healthcare technology, alongside American counterparts. A statement released on Thursday described it as an executive networking forum intended to build partnerships in enterprise solutions, digital transformation and product development.
Attendees included Sindh Governor Syed Nehal Hashmi, representatives of major US technology and finance firms, multilateral institutions, government agencies and members of the Pakistani American business community. Structured panels and one-to-one business sessions were meant to turn Pakistan’s IT export strength into commercial relationships.
Industry leaders and the move up the value chain
Faisal Jeddy, chief executive of PSEB, Bilal Abbasi, chief executive of Ignite, and Hassan Khalid, president of the OPEN Global DC chapter, pointed to the growth of Pakistan’s tech sector. They said the country supplies technical talent, while the United States offers market access. Panel discussions also looked at moving away from routine outsourcing, where firms are paid mainly for labour, toward owned intellectual property and products that can scale.
Governor Hashmi urged the delegation to turn digital capability into results, such as qualified business leads, pilot projects and high-value contracts. He said US firms want partners who can deliver value over the long term. The ambassador said the showcase aimed to present the “best and brightest” of Pakistan’s tech industry, including whether its companies could match global benchmarks in areas such as AI.
What comes next
The forum was designed to open conversations that could lead to pilot projects and contracts, but the outcome will depend on follow-up deals between the firms involved. Whether the push reshapes Pakistan US relations over time will depend on how many of these meetings turn into work. For now, the focus is on business links rather than a new government agreement.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Pakistan aur America ke taluqat mein ab counterterrorism ke saath IT aur tech cooperation par zor diya ja raha hai. Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh ne Washington ke tech forum mein yeh baat kahi, jahan 16 Pakistani companies ne AI, cloud aur fintech jaise shobon mein apni salahiyat dikhayi. Abhi yeh shuruaat hai, lekin is ka matlab hai ke aane wale waqt mein tech ke kaam aur exports mein naye mauqe ban sakte hain.
