ANSO–COMSATS Int'l Conference On AI-Enabled Solutions For Water Inaugurated
ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Sep, 2026) Islamabad hosted the opening of a four-day international conference on Wednesday focused on harnessing artificial intelligence to address growing challenges in water governance, security and safety, bringing together scientists, researchers and experts from
Pakistan
and several countries.
ANSO–COMSATS Conference on Artificial Intelligence Enabled Solutions for Sustainable Water Governance, Security and Safety
This event, organized by the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) under the Alliance of National and International Science Organizations for the Belt and Road Regions (ANSO), is part of the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD) 2024–2033, led by UNESCO.
Keynote Speaker:
Rana Ahmad Atteeq Anwer, Coordinator to the Prime Minister for Science and Technology and Information Technology and Telecommunication, attended the inaugural ceremony as chief guest. He highlighted the mounting pressures on water systems from climate change, rapid urbanisation, industrial expansion, population growth and pollution, referring to Pakistan’s devastating floods of 2022.
Conference Highlights:
- Global Water Challenges: Dr. Anwer discussed how many developing countries are facing prolonged droughts, groundwater depletion, and deteriorating water quality. He outlined the Pakistani government's water security agenda, including implementation of the National Water Policy, water harvesting, and sustainable measures.
- AI as a Transformative Tool: Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria, Executive Director of COMSATS, emphasized the strategic significance of the conference in addressing global water challenges and highlighted AI’s potential as a transformative tool.
- Ethical Considerations and Human Involvement: Prof. Dr. Raheel Qamar, Rector of COMSATS University Islamabad, underscored the importance of emerging technologies like AI and cloud computing while calling for an ethics-based approach and continued human involvement in AI solutions. He also discussed the university's digitalisation and paperless-office initiatives aimed at resource conservation and environmental protection.
- ANSO’s Commitment: Dr. Zhijun Yi, Deputy Executive Director of ANSO, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to international scientific cooperation, joint research, capacity building, and knowledge exchange for sustainable development.
The conference features:
- Technical presentations
- Practical training on AI tools
- Panel discussions
- Technical visits