THIS is with reference to the report, “‘New pathway for the future’: Quantum Valley Pakistan launched in Islamabad” (Dawn.Com, Sept 16), which quoted a federal minister as saying that the project has set new pathways for Pakistani talent in artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, fintech, agritech, biotechnology, medtech, digital solutions and autonomous technologies, and that “Pakistan is ready for innovation takeoff”.
It is clear that the launch of the valley has been presented as the beginning of a new technological future, with promises of of deep-tech innovation, global partnerships and opportunities for Pakistani youth. Such ambition is welcome. What is difficult to reconcile, however, is the scale of the rhetoric compared to the ecosystem that is in place and is expected to deliver it.
The latest World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Global Innovation Index ranks Pakistan 99th, but the more revealing numbers lie underneath: 127th in institutions, 123rd in human capital and research, and 123rd in infrastructure. Pakistan spent only 0.16 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) on research and development in 2023, while education expenditure stood at about 1.88pc.
A country cannot just leap into quantum computing, biotechnology and advanced AI by simply branding an initiative a ‘valley’. Deep-tech ecosystems are built on consistent research funding, functioning universities, reliable connectivity, regulatory certainty, venture capital and the freedom to collaborate globally.
The contradiction becomes harder to ignore when Pakistan speaks of becoming a technology hub, while at the same time businesses repeatedly face internet disruptions. An independent estimate put the economic cost of deliberate internet and social media disruptions in 2024 at $1.62 billion. The local software industry separately warned that connectivity problems linked to the firewall could cost the economy hundreds of millions of dollars.
International collaborators and venture capitalists, like Plug and Play and the Cambridge Innovation Centre, may bring valuable networks and experience, but foreign partnerships cannot substitute for domestic scientific capacity. Before expecting the Quantum Valley to bring in massive results for us, we should focus on building the ground underneath.
Dr Naveed R. Khan
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2026
