Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement to strengthen bilateral cybersecurity cooperation. The two countries formalized the deal during the recently held LEAP 2026 tech conference in Riyadh. Pakistan’s IT ministry confirmed the development in a statement on Monday.
The memorandum of understanding involves two key government bodies. Specifically, it links Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication with Saudi Arabia’s National Cybersecurity Authority. IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja signed it alongside NCA Governor Engineer Majed Al-Mazyed. The agreement aims to protect the cyberspace and vital interests of both countries. Ultimately, both nations want to better address emerging cyber threats together.
LEAP is Saudi Arabia’s flagship technology and innovation conference held annually. This year’s event ran from August 31 to September 3. It brought together more than 1,800 technology brands globally. Additionally, it attracted 600 startups and 1,900 investors to Riyadh.
Khawaja led the Pakistani delegation and delivered a keynote titled “How We Built a Digital Nation.” She also held bilateral meetings with several international officials. These included Saudi Arabia’s IT minister and South Korea’s science and ICT minister. Notably, she met SDAIA President Abdullah bin Sharaf Alghamdi to build a broader AI partnership.
That partnership centers on a planned AI Hub linking Pakistani firms to Saudi clients. Saudi Arabia’s GO Telecom anchors the initiative, having launched an AI hub in Islamabad last month. Khawaja described the model clearly to Arab News. She said it involves value creation on both sides, not aid or loans.
The minister formally inaugurated the Tech Destination Pakistan Pavilion too. The pavilion featured 25 startups alongside over 50 leading Pakistani tech companies. The event also delivered concrete outcomes for several startups. OfficeFlow AI signed an incubation partnership with Dhahran Techno Valley. Meanwhile, education startup Edversity secured a $400,000 investment from Rapidev Group.
These deals reflect Pakistan’s growing push into Saudi tech markets. Notably, Pakistani technology exports reached a record $4.6 billion in fiscal year 2026. The cybersecurity MoU also builds on deeper ties, including the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed in September 2025. Consequently, both sides plan joint workshops to align Pakistan’s IT strategy with Saudi Vision 2030.
