Lahore to become Pakistan’s first ‘smart city’ under partnership with Huawei
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has unveiled an ambitious plan to transform Lahore into Pakistan’s first state-of-the-art smart city. This major announcement came during her official visit to Huawei Technologies in Shanghai’s Longgang District as part of her eight-day tour to China.
During her visit to Huawei’s headquarters, CM Maryam Nawaz received a warm welcome from company representatives and held detailed discussions with Wang Chengdong, Huawei’s President of Government Affairs. The two sides explored a comprehensive roadmap for Lahore’s transformation into a cutting-edge smart city, focusing on e-commerce, ecosystem production, and the digitization of the health and education sectors.
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Maryam Nawaz invited Huawei to invest in Punjab, particularly in the Nawaz Sharif IT City, and assured the company of full support in establishing assembly and manufacturing plants in the province. She also proposed the development of Huawei retail offices and after-sales service centers across Punjab to strengthen the company’s presence.
The Chief Minister emphasized that this partnership would play a key role in realizing the vision of a “Digital Punjab” and proposed Huawei’s assistance in capacity building, IT research, and the establishment of Punjab’s first AI-based university.
Maryam Nawaz expressed keen interest in Huawei’s initiatives in health and education, recognizing their potential to complement Punjab’s development goals. Discussions included Huawei’s role in enhancing digital infrastructure for the health and education sectors, which could modernize service delivery and improve access to resources for citizens.
The Chief Minister also visited the Shanghai Experimental School (SES) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. At SES, she observed innovative teaching methods in artificial intelligence (AI) and interacted with students who demonstrated AI-based projects. She noted that introducing such advanced educational techniques in Punjab could prepare the province’s youth for the digital age and innovation-driven growth.
Maryam Nawaz praised Huawei’s involvement in Lahore’s first Safe City project and encouraged the company to expand its role in building a secure, modern digital ecosystem. She highlighted the need for digitization to combat urban challenges and improve governance through innovative technology solutions.
The Chief Minister noted that Huawei’s expertise in telecommunications and electronics could enhance the efficiency of key sectors, including law enforcement, health, and education. She proposed further collaboration in ecosystem development, e-commerce, and IT infrastructure.
Maryam Nawaz reaffirmed her commitment to making Lahore a model smart city that sets a precedent for urban transformation across Pakistan. She stressed that this initiative would drive economic growth, create jobs, and significantly improve the quality of life for citizens. The integration of AI, modern telecommunications, and smart city solutions would provide innovative tools for governance and urban development.
The Chief Minister emphasized the transformative role of partnerships with global technology leaders like Huawei in achieving these goals. “We want to benefit from Huawei’s expertise in telecommunications, electronics, and digitization to create a smarter, more connected Lahore,” she said.
The visit concluded with Maryam Nawaz touring Huawei’s facilities, where she explored their advanced technological capabilities. She extended an invitation to Huawei officials, including Mr. Wang Chengdong, to visit Lahore and further discuss the implementation of proposed projects.
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