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Pakistan has completed the institutional framework for its national semiconductor education and research clusters, marking a step towards developing a skilled workforce for the global chip industry.<\/strong><\/p>\n Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja met Sindh Governor Syed Muhammad Nehal Hashmi at Governor House in Karachi, where she also attended the Fintech Roundtable 2026.<\/p>\n She engaged with leading industry figures on advancing digital financial services and strengthening Pakistan\u2019s fintech ecosystem, discussing key policy matters and priorities for sectoral growth.<\/p>\n During her visit, a contract was signed between the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and NED University of Engineering & Technology, formally designating NED as the lead university for the South Region under the Semiconductor Education & Research Cluster (SERC).<\/p>\n NED will join NUST, which leads the North Region, and ESUPAK-UET Lahore, which leads the Central Region.<\/p>\n The signing completes all SERC institutional agreements under the National Semiconductor Human Resource Development Program (NSHRDP)\/INSPIRE, formally establishing Pakistan\u2019s three regional semiconductor education and research clusters within the program\u2019s first year.<\/p>\n Speaking on the occasion, Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja stated that the signing marked a significant milestone in Pakistan\u2019s journey to build a globally competitive semiconductor ecosystem.<\/p>\n She noted that the current SERC intake is set to train 270 students across Pakistan in three regions, as part of a broader national target to develop over 7,200 semiconductor professionals by 2030.<\/p>\n Sindh Governor Syed Muhammad Nehal Hashmi said the agreement reflected the government\u2019s commitment to developing a knowledge-based economy.<\/p>\n He expressed confidence that the partnership would play a significant role in preparing the youth for the opportunities of the global semiconductor industry.<\/p>\n With all three SERC clusters now formally established, INSPIRE moves into full-scale implementation, setting the stage for a new generation of Pakistani semiconductor talent to drive the country\u2019s digital and economic future.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n