PM Shehbaz hails Pakistan's 'remarkable progress' in indigenous autonomous capabilities in defence, security fields

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said Pakistan has made “remarkable progress” in building indigenous autonomous capabilities for defence and security, highlighting what he described as growing self-reliance in advanced military technologies.

He made the remarks at the Indus Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Expo 2026, held at the Pak-China Friendship Centre in Islamabad and scheduled to continue through Thursday. The event brought together displays of robotics and autonomous systems, including equipment the premier said reflected significant local development.

Addressing the gathering, Shehbaz said Pakistan had advanced in indigenous autonomous capabilities in defence and security under the “dynamic leadership” of Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. He said the armed forces had adopted cutting-edge technologies, pointing to systems displayed at the expo as evidence of that progress.

The prime minister also said he had examined simulators that were “100 per cent manufactured and assembled in Pakistan.” He noted that drones had reached 60% indigenisation and said “many other important machines” were also being produced in the country.

Shehbaz praised the armed forces for what he called their effective use of advanced autonomous systems in guarding Pakistan’s physical and cyber frontiers. He said that role had been carried out under the leadership of the CDF, with support from the chiefs of the air and naval forces.

The remarks were made as part of the public event at the Islamabad venue, where local defence and robotics capabilities were on display. This report is based on a monitored public feed.

Source: Dawn Home - https://www.dawn.com/news/2017529/pm-shehbaz-hails-pakistans-remarkable-progress-in-indigenous-autonomous-capabilities-in-defence-security-fields