The Chief Minister of Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, has sought Chinese cooperation in smart governance, artificial intelligence, and pharmaceutical manufacturing, proposing partnerships with Huawei and Humanwell Healthcare Group to strengthen urban management, healthcare production, and technological development in the province.
The proposal was made during Shah’s visit to Huawei’s Global Model Site for Digital-Driven Urban Governance in Wuhan, the Wuhan Artificial Intelligence Computing Centre, and the headquarters of Humanwell Healthcare Group, also known as Renfu Pharmaceutical Group.
China, where he led a high-level delegation from Sindh, the chief minister said Karachi, a city of more than 20 million people, could benefit from data-driven systems to tackle urban flooding, traffic congestion, water management and solid waste disposal.
He proposed a pilot project in Karachi focusing on flood early warning and city operations management, initially covering one district before being expanded to other parts of the metropolis.
“We would like to explore a practical partnership with Huawei to develop a smart city operations platform for Karachi, particularly to strengthen flood forecasting, emergency response and urban management,” he said.
CM Sindh Murad Shah said the provincial government wanted a long-term partnership that would include technology transfer, training and the development of local expertise, rather than simply purchasing equipment and software.
He also proposed study visits for Sindh government officials to the Wuhan City Operation Centre and greater collaboration between Huawei, universities and technical institutions in Sindh.
During a separate visit to the Wuhan Artificial Intelligence Computing Centre, the delegation was briefed on its computing facilities, research partnerships and role in supporting businesses, universities and government institutions.
Officials said the center, which began operations in 2021, had expanded its computing capacity to 400 petaflops, enabling universities, research institutions and technology companies to access advanced computing resources for research and commercial applications.
Murad Ali Shah praised its shared-infrastructure model, which allows researchers, universities and start-ups to access advanced computing resources without making substantial investments in their own facilities.
He said Sindh could become a regional center for innovation and digital entrepreneurship, citing its young population, academic institutions and growing technology sector.
The chief minister also highlighted plans to develop Karachi Education City as a hub for higher education, research and emerging technologies.
He proposed cooperation to give Sindh’s universities and researchers access to artificial intelligence training and computing resources, alongside technical assistance and training programs for engineers, researchers and government officials.
“Artificial intelligence will shape the future of economies and societies. Sindh wants to be an active participant in this transformation,” he said.
Pharmaceutical investment
Separately, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah invited Humanwell Healthcare Group to establish pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in Sindh to serve Pakistan and regional markets.
During his visit to the company’s headquarters in Wuhan’s East Lake High-Tech Development Zone, Shah was briefed on its operations, research capabilities, global expansion strategy and contribution to the pharmaceutical sector.
Discussions focused on potential cooperation in pharmaceutical manufacturing, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), healthcare innovation and investment in Sindh’s life sciences sector.
The chief minister praised Humanwell as one of China’s leading pharmaceutical groups, particularly in anaesthesia, pain management and critical care, and acknowledged its reputation for producing medicines according to international standards.
He said Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry was expanding rapidly but remained heavily dependent on imported raw materials and pharmaceutical ingredients.
According to him, Sindh offered an attractive environment for pharmaceutical investment because of its strategic location, industrial infrastructure, skilled workforce and investor-friendly policies.
“Sindh is home to a large pool of pharmacists, chemists, engineers and healthcare professionals. Combined with our Special Economic Zones, modern ports and investment incentives, the province provides a highly competitive destination for pharmaceutical manufacturing,” he said.
Shah highlighted the special economic zones at Dhabeji, Bin Qasim and Khairpur, which offer fiscal incentives including tax exemptions and duty concessions. He also pointed to Port Qasim’s links to international markets.
Referring to Humanwell’s manufacturing investments in Africa, he invited the company to consider a similar approach in Sindh, with the province serving as a production and export base for Pakistan and markets in the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia.
He urged the company to send a technical delegation to Karachi to explore joint ventures in APIs, finished medicines and other healthcare-related products.
The Sindh government, he said, would facilitate the investment process through its investment department and help the company engage with relevant regulatory authorities, including the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan.
Shah said cooperation in pharmaceuticals and healthcare could become an important component of the wider Pakistan-China economic partnership by strengthening local manufacturing, improving access to medicines, creating skilled employment and promoting technology transfer.
He said the proposals discussed during the visits would be pursued through a memorandum of understanding that the Sindh government planned to sign with Huawei at the Sindh Investment and Trade Conference in Shanghai later this week.