DAY 2 - 16th APRIL, 2025 - WEDNESDAY - 09:00 AM – 09:00 PM
Parallel Technical Sessions
09:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Crystal Ball Room 1
Gig Economy: Opportunities and Challenges
Chair/Moderator:
Dr. Baber Majid Bhatti
CEO, NITB
Paper Presenters:
• Mehwish Umar & Shumaila Sadiq – Impact of Freelancing on Household Well-Being in South Punjab.
• Masood Ul Hassan et al. – Are Freelancers Satisfied with their Jobs? Impact of Freelancer Value Proposition (FVP) on Job Satisfaction, Mediating Role of Meaningful Work.
• Misbah Bashir – The Gig Economy: Opportunities and Challenges – The New Avenue of Research in Pakistan.
• Syed Talha Ali & Uzma Zia – Customer Satisfaction Trends in Pakistan’s Digital Retail Landscape.
Discussant:
Dr. Maqsood Aslam – SOE, QAU
Crystal Ball Room 2
Digitization and Women Empowerment
Chair/Moderator:
Zafar ul Hassan – Planning Commission
Paper Presenters:
• Samina Sabir – Financial Inclusion, Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth: Evidence from Developing Countries.
• Misbah Tanveer Choudhry – Impact Assessment of TDAP Women Development Program on Technology Adoption in Female Entrepreneurs.
• Sumaira Yasmin – An In-depth Study of Job Satisfaction among Women Transitioning to Online Jobs.
• Sumera Mehmood – AI-Driven Financial Education: Addressing Behavioral Biases for Sustainable Women’s Entrepreneurship.
Discussant:
Ahsan Ul Haq – PIDE
Parallel Technical Sessions
09:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Jade Ball Room
Regulation, Digital
Policy & Barriers
Chair/Moderator:
Dr. Khalid Mahmood – MD, MoNFS&R
Paper Presenters:
• Muhammad Zeeshan & Unbreen Qayyum – Regulatory Frictions and Digital Economy in Pakistan: A CGE-Sludge Framework Analysis.
• Yasir Zada Khan – Digitalization, Automation, and Integration: A Much-Needed Approach to Reduce Regulatory Sludge in Restaurant Licensing and Compliance.
• Muhammad Waseem & Saima Nawaz
Navigating Global Value Chains for Sustainable Growth: The Role of E-Government and Institutions in a Globalized World.
• Madeeha Quraishi – Pakistan’s Mining Sector: Enhancing Policy and Leveraging Artificial Intelligence, Automation, Digitalization, and Green Technologies with Foreign Direct Investment.
Discussant:
Dr. Muhammad Jamil – SBP Chair, AJK
Lapis Ball Room
Upskilling and AI
Chair/Moderator:
Fazal Muhammad
Former Head, NPGP, MoPA&SS
Paper Presenters:
- Muhammad Ehsan & Fauzia Ajmal
Integrating Micro-Credentials into Higher Education: Skilling Youth to Enhance Employability in Pakistan. - Nasreen Aziz Sahito & Hafsa Hina
From Chalkboards to Clicks: An Evidence Based Policy Roadmap for ICT Integration in Primary Education. - Anjeela Khurrum & Fizzah Butt
The Landscape of AI in Education and Research. - Henna Ahsan & Ajmal Kakar
Assessing the Key Determinants of ICT Adoption in Pakistan from Demand and Supply Perspective
Discussant:
Prof. Dr. Tallat Anwar, SBP, BZU
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM Tea Break
Crystal Ball Room (CBR)
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Panel 2:
Charting Pakistan’s Fiscal Trajectory: Enhancing Transparency & Trust
Guest of Honor:
Mr. Ali Pervaiz Malik – State Minister MoF&R
Panelists:
• Dr. Hamid Ateeq Sarwar – Member, FBR
• Dr. Mahmood Khalid – PD (CPEC)/SRE, PIDE
• Mr. Tobias Haque – Economist, World Bank
• Dr. Ali Salman – ED, PRIME
• Ms. Hina Usmani – Managing Partner, Usmani & Co
• Dr. Ikram Ul Haq – Tax Expert (Legal)
Moderator:
Mr. Nasruminallah Mian – Head of Program & Digital/ICT, ADB
12:30 PM – 01:30 PM - Lunch Break
Crystal Ball Room (CBR)
01:30 PM – 03:00 PM
Quaid-e-Azam Lecture
Digital Transformations, AI, Productivity, and the Future of Work: A Conversation for Pakistan
Keynote Speaker:
Prof. A. Micheal Spence
Nobel Laureate
Chair:
Dr. Eatzaz Ahmed
Former VC, QAU
Discussants:
Dr. Huma Baqai
Rector, MITE
Dr. Khalid Hafeez
VC BUITEMS, Quetta
Moderator:
Dr. Nasir Iqbal
Secretary, PSDE
Crystal Ball Room (CBR)
03:00 PM – 04:30 PM
Panel 3:
Bridging the Digital Divide: Women and Youth as Drivers
Guest of Honor:
Ms. Wajiha Qamar
State Minister, MoFE&PT
Panelists:
• Ms. Emma Fan, Country Director, ADB
• Dr. Hadia Majid, Chairperson, Economics, LUMS
• Dr. Faheem Jehangir, Director Policy, PIDE
• Ms. Mahnoor Salman, Co-founder, atomcamp
• Dr. Shujaat Farooq, Director Research, PIDE
• Ms. Saima Hashim, Ambassador, Akhuwat Foundation
Moderator:
Ms. Aamena Aly Kamal
Member, MoPD&SI
04:30 PM – 05:00 PM - Tea Break
05:00 PM – 06:30 PM
Panel 4:
Reimagining Universities for the
Digital Age
Chair:
Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja
Federal Minister, MoIT&T
Panelists:
• Dr. Nadeem Javaid (SI), VC, PIDE
• Dr. Muhammad Zubair Iqbal, VC BZU, Multan
• Dr. Huma Baqai, Rector, MITE
• Dr. Fazal Ahmad Khalid (SI), Rector (designated), GIKI
• Dr. Khalid Hafeez, VC BUITEMS, Quetta
• Dr. Jamil Ahmad, Member, HEC
• Mr. Saad Liaquat Kiani, CTO, Thunder
Moderator:
Dr. Naveed Iftikhar
Co-founder, atomcamp