ISLAMABAD — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called on the interim Afghan government to take concrete steps against terrorist groups operating from its soil, while announcing a major development package for Balochistan and inaugurating Pakistan’s first dedicated AI cloud infrastructure.
Addressing the National Workshop on Balochistan, the Prime Minister pointed to the 2,600-kilometre shared border with Afghanistan and expressed serious concern over Kabul’s inability to stop hostile elements from launching cross-border attacks. He also alleged Indian financial support for terrorist networks inside Pakistan and stressed the need for national unity to counter the emerging security challenges.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif inaugurates Sky47, Pakistan’s first purpose-built, AI-ready Tier III/IV data center and sovereign cloud platform, in Rawalpindi. pic.twitter.com/VlleYlTkmw
— Badar Shahbaz 🇵🇰 (@BSWarraich) July 24, 2026
Executive Overview of Major Announcements
| Category | Initiative / Policy Directive | Key Metrics & Details |
|---|---|---|
| Border & Security | Call for Action on Afghan Soil | Urged Kabul to dismantle terrorist safe havens; cited foreign funding mechanisms. |
| Connectivity | Karachi-Chaman Dual Carriageway | Rs300 billion project targeted for completion within 2 years. |
| Energy & Agri Tech | Solarization of Agricultural Tube Wells | Rs75 billion total outlay (Rs50bn federal share) converting 27,000 tube wells. |
| Education & Youth | NFC Allocations & Scholarships | 10% bonus quota for Balochistan students in laptops and higher education scholarships. |
| Digital Economy | Sky47 AI Cloud & Data Centre | 8.5 MW initial capacity, sovereign cloud architecture built with strategic partner ZTE. |
Targeted Socio-Economic Package for Balochistan
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasised that Pakistan’s overall economic progress is closely tied to balanced development across provinces. He outlined several key infrastructure and energy initiatives for Balochistan:
- Road Network Expansion: The flagship Rs300 billion Karachi-Chaman dual carriageway project will serve as a vital trade corridor connecting southern ports to northern routes and is expected to be completed within two years.
- Provincial Resource Sharing: Punjab has contributed Rs150 billion under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award to support Balochistan’s socio-economic development.
- Water & Agriculture Support: Work on the Kachhi Canal Project is being expedited to improve irrigation, while 27,000 tube wells suffering from prolonged power outages will be converted to solar energy.
Strategic Milestone: Sky47 AI Cloud Centre Inauguration
In a separate event attended by Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, the Prime Minister inaugurated Sky47 Karakoram-01, the country’s largest AI-ready data centre and cloud computing platform.
“The successful execution of this facility showcases the extraordinary synergy between Pakistan’s civil and military sectors. Built in record time, it demonstrates our capability to secure our digital sovereignty and compete in the global AI landscape.”
— Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
The 8.5 MW facility, developed in partnership with the Ministry of Information Technology and Chinese technology firm ZTE, features enterprise-grade security and sovereign cloud architecture. Plans are already in place to establish additional facilities in Karachi and Lahore to further strengthen the national digital infrastructure.
