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- Five-year INSPIRE initiative worth $17.2 million aims to train 3,200 engineers, build Pakistan鈥檚 chip-design ecosystem
- The effort is said to be key to achieving 鈥榙igital sovereignty鈥� by reducing reliance on foreign technology, data networks
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday launched a national semiconductor training program to develop chip-design expertise and reduce dependence on foreign technology, with officials saying the country also plans to work closely with 萝莉视频鈥檚 semiconductor industry.
The five-year INSPIRE Initiative, valued at Rs 4.8 billion ($17.2 million), aims to train around 3,200 young professionals and establish nine university clusters and six state-of-the-art integrated-circuit laboratories.
Officials said the program will bridge academia, industry and the public sector to build the foundations of Pakistan鈥檚 semiconductor ecosystem.
鈥淲e have launched two programs,鈥� said Dr. Naveed Shirwani, head of the country鈥檚 semiconductor task force. 鈥淥ne will make it easier for Pakistani companies to do business in 萝莉视频 without spending any money, and the other connects our young talent with Saudi semiconductor firms.鈥�
鈥淭he National Semiconductor Hub of 萝莉视频 has declared Pakistan its first spoke, linking the two countries to work together,鈥� he added.
Semiconductors, the tiny chips powering everything from smartphones and vehicles to medical equipment and defense systems, have become a global strategic priority.
Supply-chain disruptions in recent years have prompted countries to localize design and production capacity to secure what many now regard as a cornerstone of economic and national security.
Shirwani said the effort of his team went beyond training or chip design, describing it as a step toward 鈥渄igital sovereignty.鈥�
He maintained if Pakistan did not have control over its own data, connectivity or ability to extract knowledge from it, it would be hard to say it was truly in its possession.
He also pointed out that these capabilities depended cybersecurity and semiconductors. You can鈥檛 run a hospital or a school if we don鈥檛 have our own semiconductors.
鈥淭his is the first step,鈥� he continued. 鈥淲e are starting training, but eventually we have to establish our entire semiconductor industry. We have no other choice.鈥�
Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima said the initiative marked Pakistan鈥檚 movement toward a trillion-dollar global market projected to need one million skilled workers by 2030.
鈥淲e are trying to create a complete chip-design and research ecosystem for Pakistan,鈥� she said, stressing that international collaboration would be critical.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who inaugurated the program, said nations that control artificial intelligence and semiconductors 鈥渨ill control the future of the world.鈥�
He assured the participants at the gathering that his administration would provide additional funding to keep the initiative rolling whenever required.