Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar departed for Shanghai on Thursday on a two-day visit to attend the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and formalise Pakistan’s participation in a new international artificial intelligence organisation, the Foreign Office said.

According to the Foreign Office, Pakistan will join the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO) as a founding member during the visit.

Dar is scheduled to sign the agreement formalising the country’s accession to the organisation.

The Foreign Office said the deputy prime minister will also participate in the World Artificial Intelligence Conference, where he is expected to engage with global leaders to promote international cooperation on artificial intelligence and advocate for inclusive and equitable AI governance.

On the sidelines of the conference, Dar will hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and meet other foreign counterparts to discuss issues of mutual interest.

The Foreign Office said Dar will present Pakistan’s perspective on strengthening global cooperation in artificial intelligence, with a particular emphasis on inclusive governance, capacity-building and addressing the priorities of developing countries, especially those in the Global South.