Lahore, July 8, 2025 - Prof. Dr. Syed Waqar ul Qounain Jaffry, Chairman, Department of Information Technology and Director, National Centre of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI), University of the Punjab, participated in a high-level multi-stakeholder dialogue titled "AI for Humanity: Ethical and Inclusive AI in Pakistan," jointly organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the National School of Public Policy (NSPP), Lahore.
The event, held at NSPP’s Committee Room, brought together key representatives from the public sector, academia, civil society, and media to deliberate on the ethical, human rights–based, and inclusive development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Pakistan. The dialogue is part of UNESCO’s global initiative to promote responsible AI governance in alignment with sustainable development, human dignity, and digital inclusion.
Prof. Dr. Waqar Jaffry was invited as an expert speaker to contribute insights on elevating the standard and visibility of AI research in Pakistan. In his address, he emphasized the need for Pakistan to adopt a systemic, multi-dimensional strategy to ensure that its AI theses and academic research align with global best practices. He highlighted the importance of:
• Faculty training in international publishing ethics,
• Structured supervision for research aligned with global benchmarks,
• Collaborations with foreign institutions for joint authorship and mentorship,
• Infrastructure for open-access data sharing and national AI repositories,
• Strategic alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
• National-level recognition and policy incentives for impactful AI research.
Dr. Jaffry strongly advocated that quality research must be supported by institutional reforms, policy frameworks, digital infrastructure, and international engagement to make Pakistani AI scholarship globally relevant and competitive.
The event is part of UNESCO’s efforts to support Pakistan’s forthcoming National AI Policy and to foster inclusive, ethical AI development across all sectors. Prof. Dr. Jaffry’s participation marks the University of the Punjab’s active contribution to shaping Pakistan’s AI future at the national and international level.