Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, inaugurated the Pakistan Pavilion at the World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland, 2026, marking a significant moment for the country’s representation on the global economic stage. During his visit, the Deputy Prime Minister toured the pavilion and visited the stalls of all the Pathfinder CITADEL-selected start-ups. He interacted personally with the founders and teams of each start-up, taking time to understand their products, innovations, and business models.
During these interactions, Deputy Prime Minister Dar expressed his appreciation for the entrepreneurial spirit and creativity of the young innovators. He encouraged them to continue developing innovative solutions that can contribute not only to Pakistan’s economic growth but also to addressing global challenges through technology and entrepreneurship. He commended the start-ups for their resilience, dedication and ability to think beyond conventional business models in a rapidly changing world.
While visiting each stall, Deputy Prime Minister Dar asked detailed questions about the technologies being developed, the challenges faced by start-ups and the support they required to scale their operations. He emphasized the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurship and assured the start-ups that policies and programs are being designed to support their growth, enhance their capacities, and facilitate access to resources, markets, and global partnerships. Deputy Prime Minister Dar also highlighted the role of innovation and technology in economic development. He stated that the government is taking concrete steps to promote digitalization, technology transfer and skill development among the youth.
He reiterated that fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem is a national priority, as it will create employment opportunities, drive technological advancement, and strengthen Pakistan’s position in the global economy. He concluded his visit by encouraging the start-ups to continue striving for excellence and to remain committed to innovation.
He expressed confidence that with sustained effort and government support, these young enterprises will contribute significantly to Pakistan’s economic transformation and technological advancement. His engagement with the start-ups at the pavilion not only demonstrated the government’s support for youth-led innovation but also underscored Pakistan’s growing focus on promoting entrepreneurship as a driver of national development.
