On 17th June 2025, COMSATS organized an international webinar, “Towards Digital Transformation: Ensuring an Equitable and Inclusive Society”, to commemorate the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) 2025.
The event was organized with support of the Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication (MoIT&T), Government of Pakistan; International Telecommunication Union (ITU); the Alliance of National and International Science Organizations for the Belt and Road Regions (ANSO); National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Thailand; The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK); Tanzania Industrial Research and Development Organization (TIRDO); National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Pakistan; Global Digital Inclusion Partnership (GDIP); Arab International University (AIU), Syria; Linked Things, Pakistan; Smart And Living Technologies, Australia; and Jaffer Business Systems (JBS), Pakistan.
The webinar was graced by H.E. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Government of Pakistan, as Chief Guest. Sharing her thoughts at the occasion, Hon. Minister stated that the digital revolution has unleashed unprecedented opportunities for sustainable development, and the latest technologies are driving innovation, efficiency, and economic growth across various sectors and industries. She highlighted Pakistan’s efforts to promote inclusive digital growth. Hon. Minister highlighted the Digital Pakistan Policy which aims to transform the country into a digitally empowered nation by fostering a dynamic digital society, robust digital economy, and efficient digital governance. She underscored the significance of international partnerships and cooperative digital ecosystems, and lauded COMSATS’ efforts in this regard.
During his opening remarks, Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria, Executive Director COMSATS, stated that the digital revolution is transforming our world, breaking barriers and opening new avenues, yet, he remarked, its true potential lies in ensuring that no one is left behind. He noted that many of the developing countries are still catching up, constrained by insufficient finances, unskilled human resource, lack of technological knowhow, and inadequate policies. He stressed the urgency of ensuring digital inclusion through infrastructure development, skills training, and strategic collaboration at regional and global scale. Amb. Zakaria reaffirmed COMSATS’ commitment to optimally utilizing digital technologies, such as AI, IoT, blockchain, quantum computing, next-gen connectivity for bringing about equitable socio-economic development in the Global South.
Prof. Dr. Sukit Limpijumnong, the President of Alliance of National and International Science Organizations for the Belt and Road Regions (ANSO) and the National Science and Technology Development Agency (Thailand), in his remarks at the occasion, highlighted the need for stronger regional cooperation for reaping dividends of digital transformation. He shared programs and activities of ANSO aimed at digital transformation, including the capacity-building initiatives in AI and IoT through international academic forums and training programs for young scientists. He also shed light on NSTDA’s research activities focused at the adequate use of digital technologies for addressing socio-economic challenges. He considered initiatives such as this webinar a step towards fostering global cooperation and bridging digital divide in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
The technical session of the Webinar included eight expert talks/presentations by resource persons representing international organizations, R&D and academic institutions, as well as the industry.
Mr. Calvin Chan, Programme Administrator, ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, shared ITU’s studies on global connectivity data, revealing that 2.6 billion people still lack Internet access. He introduced initiatives such as GovStack and Smart Villages, which can facilitate the implementation of a whole-of-government approach to digital transformation.
Mr. Ajmal Anwar Awan, Director General, Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP) at NADRA Pakistan, highlighted the transformative role of digital ID systems in improving public service delivery and enabling financial inclusion. He highlighted that digital IDs not only drive efficiency and reduce fraud, but also unlock economic potential, with McKinsey estimating a contribution of up to 3% of global GDP by 2030. He shared Pakistan’s ongoing efforts under the DEEP initiative, supported by the World Bank and MoITT-Pakistan, to establish a secure and inclusive digital identity ecosystem.
Dr. La-Or Kovavisaruch, Researcher, NSTDA-Thailand, presented the case of Museum Pool as a collaborative platform supporting digital transformation in cultural institutions, particularly in underserved areas. She emphasized how virtual exhibits, metadata tagging, and multilingual support can help reduce inequalities in access to culture, aligning with SDGs 9, 10, and 17. She highlighted that overcoming funding gaps, skills shortages, and cultural sensitivity challenges is key to enabling inclusive digital engagement across communities.
Dr. Taner Dursun, Head of the Blockchain Technologies Division at TÜBİTAK, Türkiye, highlighted the role of blockchain in addressing equity and inclusion challenges. He shared Türkiye’s progress in developing a blockchain-based national digital identity system and the Digital Turkish Lira, both designed with accessibility and trust at their core. He informed that these initiatives are paving the way for inclusive e-governance and secure digital public services.
Engr. Sophia Hasnain, CEO of Linked Things, Pakistan, highlighted the urgent need for digitalization in manufacturing sectors across the Global South to address inefficiencies, meet ESG standards, and remain globally competitive. She emphasized that Industry 4.0 technologies, such as IoT, AI, big data, and robotics, can significantly enhance operational efficiency, optimize resources, and enable accurate carbon reporting. Citing success stories from Pakistan’s textile and food processing industries, she advocated for government incentives, local capacity building, and upskilling targeted workforce to accelerate adoption.
Engr. Ester Lázaro, Head, Electronics & Instrumentation Technology Section, TIRDO, Tanzania, discussed how AI applications are helping to address healthcare challenges in resource-constrained environments. She highlighted ongoing efforts in Tanzania to integrate AI tools for diagnostics, patient monitoring, and healthcare system optimization, particularly for chronic disease management and maternal health. Despite infrastructure and workforce limitations, she noted significant growth in Tanzania’s AI healthcare market, supported by government initiatives and hospital-level innovations.
Dr. Baber Majid Bhatti, CEO, Smart And Living Technologies, Australia, emphasized that successful digital transformation in Pakistan depends on foundational enablers, such as change management, data infrastructure, policy readiness, and international collaboration. He suggested a structured national approach that includes building digital vision frameworks, innovation labs, and interoperability standards to ensure responsive and citizen-centric governance. Dr. Bhatti opined that digital transformation must move beyond slogans to action by empowering public sector leadership and aligning with SDGs for long-term impact.
Prof. Dr. Khalil Ajami, Professor at Arab International University, Syria, highlighted how post-conflict realities and infrastructure gaps can hinder equitable access to education and employment in digital economies. He emphasized the need for aligning digital transformation and e-governance strategies with local socio-cultural and ecosystem needs, and advocated for inclusive, interdisciplinary curricula that integrate AI, cloud-based learning, and mobile access. He stressed that using digital learning platforms and gender-sensitive AI tools, education systems can suitably support recovery, inclusion, and long-term governance reforms.
A key feature of the Webinar was a Panel Discussion on “Gender Equality in Digital Transformation”, which was moderated by Ms. Sajida Bandukwala, Head of Marketing and Innovation at Jaffer Business Systems, Pakistan. Among the six panelists was Ms. Onica N. Makwakwa, Executive Director, Global Digital Inclusion Partnership (GDIP), who emphasized the role of international partnerships in shaping gender-equitable policies and embedding gender inclusion across ICT frameworks. Dr. İpek Baz, Coordinator of the Competence Center at the Artificial Intelligence Institute, TUBITAK, Turkiye, deliberated on inclusive AI strategies, such as bias auditing, engaging women at the forefront of tech development, and integrating gender criteria into national programs. Mr. Ajmal Anwar Awan was of the view that designing national ID systems is imperative for improve women’s digital and financial inclusion. Prof. Dr. Khalil Ajami highlighted the need for gender-sensitive academic policies, evening programs for rural women, and dedicated research funding on gender issues in digital innovation. Dr. Babar Majid Bhatti pointed to systemic biases and advocated for improving device affordability, digital literacy, and female representation in decision-making bodies. Engr. Sophia Hasnain called for challenging gender norms in tech, supporting women-led startups, and creating inclusive innovation policies.
The webinar brought together over 140 participants from 17 countries, i.e., Afghanistan, Egypt, Ghana, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkiye, USA and Yemen. The attendees represented academia, government bodies, international development organizations, and private tech companies.
During his concluding remarks, the Executive Director COMSATS thanked the speakers and participants for their insightful contributions and emphasized that digital transformation must be inclusive, collaborative, and aligned with sustainable development goals. He reaffirmed COMSATS’ readiness to partner with international stakeholders to scale innovation and capacity-building across its Member States.
