Islamabad 29 January 2025(Kamran Raja):A high-level National Semiconductor Roundtable Conference was held at the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) under the vision of the President of the University, Professor Dr. Ahmed Saad Al-Ahmad. The conference reaffirmed the University’s commitment to shaping Pakistan’s technological future through academic leadership, policy alignment, and strong industrial collaboration.
The event commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran. In his opening address, President IIUI Professor Dr. Ahmed Saad Al-Ahmad highlighted the vast scope and strategic importance of the semiconductor industry for Pakistan. He stated that the sector has the potential to play a transformative role in strengthening the national economy, ensuring digital sovereignty, and preparing a future-ready workforce aligned with global technological demands. He expressed pride in IIUI’s leading role in this national transformation and emphasized the University’s unique capacity to serve as an effective bridge between academia, industry, and policymakers.
The President further noted that Pakistan’s semiconductor ambitions are increasingly aligning with ongoing initiatives in Saudi Arabia, where significant progress is being made toward achieving full self-reliance in the semiconductor ecosystem under the Kingdom’s broader national vision. He said this regional alignment opens wide avenues for cooperation, knowledge exchange, and shared capacity building, with IIUI emerging as a credible academic partner in this journey.
Vice President (Research & Enterprise) Professor Dr. Ahmed Shuja Syed, in his address, underscored the growth potential of the semiconductor sector and stressed that a sustainable ecosystem requires long-term policy continuity, institutional coordination, and patient investment. He remarked that IIUI’s steady progress in advanced electronics and microelectronics reflects deep institutional commitment rather than short-term initiatives. On the occasion, he presented the annual portfolio report of the Center for Advanced Electronics and Photovoltaic Engineering (CAEPE) along with a commemorative shield to the chief guest.
The chief guest of the conference was Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, whose presence further underscored the national importance of the dialogue. In her keynote address, she appreciated IIUI for organizing this timely and critical national-level discussion and emphasized that universities must go beyond teaching and research to actively contribute to defining the national direction. She highlighted the importance of creating platforms and nurturing think tanks in strategic sectors such as semiconductors. She noted that these efforts are fully aligned with the Prime Minister’s flagship INSPIRE program and the National Semiconductor Initiative launched in October 2025. She declared that semiconductors have now become a national priority and are integrated with the “Uraan Pakistan Vision,” which aims to transform Pakistan into a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2035 through workforce development, job creation, and advanced infrastructure.
The roundtable featured three technical panels addressing various dimensions of the semiconductor ecosystem.
The first panel, titled “Semiconductors: Policy, Governance and Funding,” was moderated by Dr. Asma Mansoor and focused on policy coherence, governance frameworks, and sustainable financing mechanisms. Panelists included Dr. Sajid Baloch (NECOP), Mr. Zawar Hussain (MoST), Dr. Maria Sultan (SASSI), Mr. Zakir Syed (MoIT), and Dr. Mirza Habib Ali (PSF).
The second panel, “Industry, Employment Opportunities and Global Integration,” moderated by Engineer Ahsan Mirza, explored practical pathways for industrial growth and job creation. It was led by Mr. Jaffer Safdar, CEO Arcana Semi, with participation from Dr. Tahir Awan (AqlTech Solutions), Mr. Toor Khan (South Asia Semiconductor Ltd.), Air Commodore (R) Farhan Masood Butt (Quantum Computing Lab), and Dr. Muhammad Umar Alvi (128 Technologies).
The third panel, “Academic Perspective and Semiconductors: Current Landscape and Future Roadmap,” also moderated by Dr. Asma Mansoor, focused on the role of universities, skilled workforce development, research, and innovation. Panelists included Professor Dr. Arshad Saleem Bhatti (Former Rector, Virtual University), Dr. Shafaat Ahmed Bazzaz (BNU), Dr. Muhammad Yasir Qadri (NECOP), Dr. Hammad M. Cheema (NUST), and Dr. Hassan Saif (FAST-NU).
The conference also featured recorded messages from international experts. Among them was Dr. Naveed Sherwani, CEO of the National Semiconductor Hub of Saudi Arabia and advisor to Pakistan’s National Semiconductor Plan, who shared insights on global collaboration and ecosystem development. Dr. Farhat Jahangir, Founder and CEO of GS Microelectronics (GSME), highlighted manufacturing, OSAT operations, and quality assurance, and reaffirmed her support for Pakistan’s semiconductor vision.
Overall, the roundtable clearly demonstrated that under the leadership of President Professor Dr. Ahmed Saad Al-Ahmad, IIUI is emerging as a national thought leader and a strong institutional pillar—integrating policy vision, academic capability, and industrial collaboration to support the development of a cohesive, future-oriented semiconductor ecosystem in Pakistan.
In closing, Professor Dr. Ahmed Shuja Syed appreciated the efforts of the Business Incubation Center and the Protocol and Public Relations teams for their contributions to the successful organization of the conference.