SHANGHAI (Dunya News) – Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive and equitable global artificial intelligence (AI) governance as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar participated in the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai alongside representatives from dozens of countries.
Xi Calls for Inclusive Global AI Cooperation
Addressing the opening ceremony, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the international community to work together in shaping the future of artificial intelligence, stressing the importance of open collaboration, technology sharing and equitable access to AI for developing nations.
He said AI represents a historic technological opportunity and emphasized the need for stronger global cooperation, responsible governance and safeguards to ensure the technology remains under human control while benefiting all countries.
Pakistan Becomes Founding Member of WAICO
During the visit, Pakistan became a founding member of the newly established World AI Cooperation Organization (WAICO) after Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar signed the founding agreement on the country's behalf.
According to the Foreign Office, Pakistan's membership reflects its commitment to advancing international cooperation in artificial intelligence, particularly from the perspective of the Global South. The FO said Pakistan supports inclusive AI governance, wider access to emerging technologies, capacity building for developing countries and enhanced international cooperation to help bridge the digital divide.
This version is closer to the Foreign Office's official wording and uses "became a founding member" instead of "formally joined," which is more accurate since Pakistan signed the founding agreement itself.
Dar Highlights Successful China Visit
Following the conference, Ishaq Dar described his visit to Shanghai as productive and thanked the Chinese government for its hospitality and arrangements.
He also praised President Xi Jinping's keynote address, noting that AI should serve humanity and be developed with a shared sense of responsibility for the common good.
Focus on Pakistan-China Cooperation
The deputy prime minister said his discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reaffirmed both countries' commitment to further strengthening the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.
According to Dar, both sides reviewed progress on high-quality development under CPEC 2.0, including the Saindak mining project, the Karakoram Highway (KKH) Realignment Project, and other priority areas of bilateral cooperation agreed during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's official visit to China in May 2025.
Delegation and Regional Engagements
Dar also acknowledged the contributions of the Pakistani delegation, which included Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Adviser to the Punjab Chief Minister on Artificial Intelligence and Special Initiatives Ali Mustafa Dar, Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority Chairman Bilal Bin Saqib and Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific) Dr Syed Asad Ali Gillani.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, along with the Pakistan delegation, attended the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai this morning, which was addressed by H.E. President Xi… pic.twitter.com/2j8iROvuSI
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 17, 2026On the sidelines of WAIC, Dar also met Lao Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane, where the two leaders discussed expanding Pakistan-Laos cooperation in areas of mutual interest, exchanged views on regional and multilateral developments and reaffirmed the importance of closer engagement with ASEAN.