Business Desk 
May 04, 2025
In a dramatic turn of events involving the booming spheres of cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence (AI), the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication is set to scrutinise the impending launch of Pakistan’s first indigenous Generative AI tool, Zahanat AI, and the establishment of a crypto regulatory council.
The evaluation will be carried out by the committee at its upcoming meeting scheduled for 7 May 2025. As of now, it has requested a detailed briefing from the IT ministry for making contradictory claims about the launch of Zahanat AI, ProPakistani reported, citing sources.
The tool was announced by State Minister for IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja, but was later denied by the National Information Technology Board (NITB) CEO, which depicts the lack of transparency and coordination between the government institutions.
The committee will also discuss the proposed “Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill, 2024,” tabled in September 2023. The bill aims to establish ethical and legal boundaries to regulate AI development in Pakistan.
Other noteworthy areas of discussion include updates on the Digital Nation Pakistan Act 2025, status reports on LDI and FLL telecom licence renewals, and Pakistan’s role in the Digital Development Investment Forum (DDIF).
With regulatory bodies seeking to better oversee the country’s evolving tech sector, officials associated with the IT ministry, PTA, PASHA, and PSEB will present data comprising registered IT firms and their revenues.
