Pakistan and Saudi Arabia inked a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance collaboration on cybersecurity at LEAP 2026 in Riyadh.
The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication of Pakistan acknowledged the agreement on Monday, adding that the accord intends to boost cooperation between the two nations on the protection of cyberspace and safeguarding their important national interests.
The MoU was signed by Pakistan’s Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja and the Governor of Saudi Arabia’s National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) Engineer Majed Al-Mazyed. The agreement is aimed at allowing both countries to better respond to emerging cybersecurity threats and improve their digital security capabilities.
LEAP 2026 draws global tech giants to Riyadh
LEAP is Saudi Arabia’s premier technology and innovation event that brings together enterprises, startups, investors and technology experts from across the world.
The conference was held in Riyadh from 31 August to 3 September this year. It was attended by more than 1,800 technology brands, some 600 startups and 1,900 investors.
Khawaja represented Pakistan at the event and gave a keynote talk titled “How We Built a Digital Nation.” She also met senior officials from Saudi Arabia and South Korea during her visit to discuss potential for cooperation in technology and digital development.
She also met with Abdullah bin Sharaf Alghamdi, President of the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), to discuss ways to enhance cooperation in artificial intelligence. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to work together on AI
The planned AI alliance also includes an AI Hub, which will connect Pakistani technology companies with clients in Saudi Arabia.
The project is backed by Saudi Arabia’s STC Group unit GO Telecom, which has set up an AI facility in Islamabad. This is not a traditional aid or loan program, but the project is designed to create value for both countries, Khawaja said.
The plan might give Pakistani IT companies more access to Saudi Arabia’s rapidly growing digital and AI industry, while providing Saudi businesses with tech skills and services from Pakistan.
New Pathways for Pakistani Startups
Khawaja also launched the Tech Destination Pakistan Pavilion at LEAP 2026, showcasing 25 startups and over 50 Pakistani technology enterprises.
The event created prospects for business and funding for several Pakistani startups. OfficeFlow AI has signed an incubation collaboration with Dhahran Techno Valley, while education IT firm Edversity has raised $400,000 in investment from Rapidev Group.
These initiatives provide insight into Pakistan’s increasing efforts to increase its technology presence in the Saudi market.
Pakistan’s IT and technology exports hit a record $4.6 billion in fiscal year 2026, further cementing the country’s emerging stature as a digital services market.
Bilateral Relations Fuelling Cybersecurity MoU
The new cybersecurity pact is another step in the growing strategic ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
It builds on the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement agreed between the two countries in September 2025, and is part of wider efforts to strengthen collaboration across security, technology, artificial intelligence and digital services.
The two sides are also anticipated to hold joint seminars and other collaborative activities under the MoU on cyber security to enhance capabilities in the area of cyber security and bring Pakistan’s IT strategy in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
The deal might potentially set a foundation for increased cooperation between the two governments as cyber risks become more sophisticated and digital infrastructure becomes more essential for national economies.
