By Our Correspondent
KARACHI: Data Vault Pakistan, the country’s first AI-dedicated data center, signed a strategic collaboration with the government-run Land Information Management System (LIMS).
The partnership aimed at designing a model for how data infrastructure and AI capabilities can directly impact GDP growth in emerging economies. With agriculture accounting for 19% of Pakistan’s GDP and employing nearly two-fifths of the country’s workforce, the use of AI to improve land-use data, weather insights, and crop planning could drive an estimated 1.5–2% increase in national GDP, according to World Bank estimates on digital agtech adoption.
At the heart of the collaboration lies Zahanat AI, a project under Mehwish Salman Ali’s leadership, which focuses on building regional-language AI models. Sources suggest that integration with LIMS could see the rollout of voice-enabled bots capable of delivering advisory services to farmers in Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, and Pashto — many of whom are not digitally literate but rely heavily on mobile phones.
The visit by Data Vault’s CEO Mehwish Salman Ali to LIMS headquarters in Islamabad marks more than just a ceremonial meeting. According to insiders familiar with the agenda, the discussions signaled deep interest from both sides to integrate sovereign AI infrastructure with critical land and agricultural data systems — a move with far-reaching implications for national development.
While Pakistan has long grappled with fragmented land records and limited access to real-time agricultural intelligence, this emerging partnership could change the game.
The timing of the partnership is also noteworthy. Pakistan’s AI Policy 2025 aims to embed artificial intelligence across healthcare, education, agriculture, and governance but real-world use cases have remained limited so far. A successful proof-of-concept between Data Vault and LIMS could serve as a national blueprint for how AI can be practically applied in government systems while ensuring data sovereignty and local language support.
