There has been a lot of chatter about AI in Pakistan recently. One can see AI taking the front seat in the arena of Digital Pakistan, but what we’re missing out on is the bitter truth: Pakistan is speeding towards an “AI Revolution” without any regulatory brakes or governance airbags.

The discourse on AI in Pakistan has mostly been revolving around opportunity, economic growth, investment, efficiency and innovation, with Punjab spearheading it through its “Office of AI”. Technology is advancing rapidly, yet our legal and institutional frameworks are struggling to keep up. The National AI Policy addresses development, transparency and ethics, but lacks specific legal provisions that cater to criminal activity abetted by AI.

Of all provinces, Punjab is leading the AI revolution as part of the Punjab AI Roadmap 2029, under the leadership of CM Punjab Maryam Nawaz and her Advisor on AI & Special Initiatives, Ali Dar. A new piece of legislation, i.e. the Punjab Performers' Digital Identity and Artificial Intelligence Protection Act, 2026, has been proposed in Punjab, under which performers’ voices, faces and digital identities would be protected and would require specific consent for AI-generated content featuring them. The draft Act is an important piece of legislation, but it should extend to all citizens, regardless of profession.

In the recent case involving the alleged abduction and assault of two foreign women in Lahore, Deputy PM Ishaq Dar’s family became the latest target of AI-generated and AI-modified defamatory content that was heavily circulated on social media.........

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