DPM Dar to attend signing ceremony for China-led AI governance body in Shanghai: FO

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will travel to Shanghai from July 16-17 to attend the signing ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO), the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to the FO, Dar will travel with a delegation at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The deputy prime minister will attend the signing ceremony and sign the agreement on behalf of Pakistan as a founding member.

“He will also participate in the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) and the High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance on 17 July 2026,” the FO added.

On the sidelines of the conference, Dar will hold a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart, as well as meetings with other officials to discuss matters of mutual interest.

“During his engagements, the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister will share Pakistan’s perspective on strengthening international cooperation in artificial intelligence, with particular emphasis on the priorities and development needs of the Global South,” the statement read.

“He will underscore the importance of bridging the global AI divide, promoting equitable access to AI technologies, enhancing capacity-building, and ensuring that the benefits of AI contribute to sustainable development and shared prosperity for all.”

Last July, opening WAIC in Shanghai, Chinese Premier Li Qiang emphasised the need for governance and open-source development, announcing the establishment of a Chinese-led body for international AI cooperation.

During a four-day visit to China by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in May this year, Pakistan expressed its support for “China’s initiative of establishing the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation, believing that this represents a concrete step toward promoting the development of artificial intelligence for good and for all”.

Islamabad pledged to work with Beijing to “advance global governance and international cooperation” on AI. ...