Umar Saif

Umar Saif (; born 1979) is a Pakistani computer scientist and academic. He is known for his contributions to the tech ecosystem in Pakistan. He is the founder and CEO of aiSight.ai (formerly SurveyAuto Inc.), Chief Digital Officer of the Jang Group and CEO of Khudi Ventures. He served as interim Federal Minister For Science and Technology, as well as Minister of IT from August 2023 to March 2024. He is also serving as an advisor to the United Nations Development Programme in Pakistan.

After studying computer science at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Saif received his doctorate from the University of Cambridge at the age of 22. He then moved to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he did his postdoc. He returned to Pakistan in 2005 and joined LUMS where he taught as an associate professor of computer science between 2006 and 2013.

In 2011, Saif was appointed as chairman of the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) and also became a cabinet member in Government of Punjab. During his tenure as a chair of the PITB between 2011 and 2018, he founded Pakistan's first technology incubator, Plan 9 and carried out more than 300 projects. Simultaneously, he served as the founding vice-chancellor of the Information Technology University from 2013 to 2018.

Early life and education Saif was born in Pakistan. He attended Aitchison College before enrolling at Lahore University of Management Sciences where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science in 1998. in 2001. From 2001 to 2005 he taught at MIT where he worked as an associate professor of computer sciences between 2006 and 2013. in 2009. While teaching full-time, Saif carried out several research projects. The same year he became the first Pakistani to receive the Google's Faculty Research Award. Upon learning of his achievements the Chief Minister of the Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif, invited Saif to head the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB). with financial support from the government and became known for introducing the startup culture to Pakistan.

He also founded Pakistan's first start-up incubator, SCI. which received extensive recognition. He played a vital role in digitalising the land records in Punjab as well those of police, and other departments of the Punjab government.

Saif established Pakistan's first IT university Information Technology University (ITU) and on 20 January 2013, he was appointed as the first and founding Vice Chancellor of the ITU by the Government of Punjab. At the age of 34, he became the youngest vice chancellor of a university in Pakistan at the time.

On 12 November 2018, the government of Punjab asked Saif to step down from the office of chairman of the PITB and Vice Chancellor of Information Technology University.

He is credited for being the brains behind digital governance of Punjab and one of the main driving forces behind the IT ecosystem in the country.

In January 2019, Saif joined Jang Group as Chief Digital Officer.

In August 2023, Saif joined cabinet of caretaker prime minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar, taking offices of IT And Science Minister. In January 2024, Saif initiated the Pakistan Startup Fund, a government initiative aimed at investing Rs2 billion annually in Pakistani startups. Additionally, he claimed that the nation's IT exports had risen by 32 percent in the preceding 60 days. The same month, Saif inaugurated the Pakistan Internet Exchange during his tenure as Caretaker Minister for IT. In February, The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has appointed Dr. Umar Saif to the Digital Innovation Board of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance for Digital Development.

He stepped down from his positions as Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication and Minister for Science and Technology when the caretaker cabinet of PM Kakar was dissolved on 4 March 2024. Dr Umar Saif launched Dil Ka Rishta app, which is Pakistan's largest matrimonial app in 2022 .

Recognition In 2006, Saif received the Digital Inclusion Award from Microsoft Research. The same year he received the IDG CIO Technology Pioneer Award. In August 2014 Saif was awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan for his services in the field of education and information technology. In 2015 and again in 2016 he was named as one of the 500 most influential Muslims. In April 2018, he was appointed UNESCO chair for using Information and Communication Technology for Development.

In May 2018, Bill Gates commended Saif for enabling Pakistan to use technology for immunisation coverage.

In 2023, he was again named as one of the 500 most influential Muslims.