Maryam Nawaz Returns to Pakistan After Four-Day China Visit

KARACHI: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has concluded her four-day visit to China, where she discussed cooperation with Chinese technology companies and sought investment in Punjab’s digital sector.

During her visit, Maryam Nawaz attended the National Big Data Centre Expo 2026 and visited the headquarters of Huawei, one of China’s major technology companies. She also invited Chinese technology firms, investors and infrastructure companies to invest in Punjab.

The chief minister announced plans to establish Punjab’s first dedicated data centre, called the Punjab Data Lake, as part of the province’s digital transformation efforts.

Speaking at the Big Data Industry Expo 2026, Maryam said OneMap, a state-level common data engine, was playing a key role in Punjab’s digital data system. She said more than 12 terabytes of geographical data from 31 government departments and over 6,000 datasets were being integrated through the platform.

According to Maryam, OneMap could improve government planning, help resolve land disputes and support better urban development.

She added that OneMap was also being linked with the Punjab Socio-Economic Registry to better identify public needs, improve resource allocation and deliver government services more effectively.