Pakistan, Alibaba Ink Landmark AI & Digital Economy Pact to Transform SMEs, Healthcare & Cloud Ecosystem

HANGZHOU (24 May 2026): The Government of Pakistan and global tech giant Alibaba have signed a series of strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, digital healthcare, e-commerce, and financial technology.

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The agreements were formalized at Alibaba’s headquarters in Hangzhou in the presence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Alibaba Group Chairman Joe Tsai, marking a significant step in Pakistan’s digital transformation agenda.

Pakistani institutions including Ignite National Technology Fund, SMEDA, and Sky47 joined the partnerships alongside Alibaba Cloud, DAMO Academy, Alibaba.com, and Koko Tech.

AI & Cloud Expansion

Under the agreement, Pakistan will collaborate with Alibaba Cloud to develop localized AI systems, including Urdu and regional language models for education, healthcare, and agriculture sectors. A nationwide training program aims to equip 500,000 individuals with AI and cloud computing skills.

A joint AI hackathon will also be launched to encourage innovation in smart agriculture, financial inclusion, and local language technologies.

Revolution in Healthcare

DAMO Academy and Sky47 will introduce AI-powered medical screening technologies in Pakistan, enabling early detection of serious diseases such as liver and pancreatic cancer through advanced CT scan analysis. The initiative will initially be deployed in major cities including Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad.

Boost for SMEs & Digital Trade

To strengthen Pakistan’s export base, Alibaba.com and SMEDA will help 10,000 SMEs gain digital trade training, while at least 2,000 businesses will be onboarded to global markets through a dedicated “Pakistan Pavilion” on Alibaba’s platform.

The program will also provide access to trade assurance tools and verified supplier systems to improve global competitiveness of Pakistani exporters.

Fintech & Digital Payments

Koko Tech, in collaboration with Ignite, will introduce a Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) system in Pakistan. The company plans a $3 million investment to expand digital payment infrastructure and create new employment opportunities in the fintech sector.