Pakistan(National Times)- Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, during her official visit to China, unveiled a partnership with Huawei Technologies to transform Lahore into Pakistan’s first state-of-the-art smart city. During her visit to Huawei’s headquarters in Shanghai’s Longgang District, Maryam received a warm welcome from company representatives. She invited Huawei to invest in Punjab, particularly in the Nawaz Sharif IT City, and assured full cooperation for establishing assembly and manufacturing plants in the province. Additionally, she proposed the development of retail offices and after-sales service centers to strengthen Huawei’s presence across Punjab. In a comprehensive meeting with Huawei’s President for Government Affairs, Wang Chengdong, the chief minister discussed a detailed roadmap for Lahore’s transformation into a cutting-edge digital city. Their discussions focused on advancing e-commerce, enhancing ecosystem production, and digitalising the health and education sectors. Wang highlighted Huawei’s ongoing projects in Pakistan and explored opportunities for deeper collaboration, aligning with Punjab’s strategic goals for digital transformation. The CM expressed particular interest in Huawei’s initiatives in health and education, recognising their potential to complement Punjab’s broader development objectives. She applauded Huawei’s involvement in Lahore’s first Safe City project and encouraged the company to expand its role in building a modern, secure digital ecosystem. She emphasised that the vision of a “Digital Punjab” relies on partnerships with global technology leaders like Huawei and proposed their support in capacity-building programs, IT research, and the development of Punjab’s first fully AI-based university. These efforts, she noted, would equip Punjab’s youth with cutting-edge digital technologies, fostering innovation-driven growth and economic development in the province. The chief minister highlighted the transformative role of technology in governance and urban development, reaffirming her commitment to innovation-led progress. She stressed that modernising Lahore into a smart city would set a precedent for other cities in Pakistan, driving economic growth, creating jobs, and improving urban living standards. The visit concluded with Maryam touring Huawei’s facilities, where she explored their advanced technological capabilities and discussed further collaboration opportunities.