The Punjab provincial government has appointed Ali Mustafa Dar as Adviser to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Artificial Intelligence and Special Initiatives, 24NewsHD reported on Sunday.
According to sources within the provincial government, he is eligible to enjoy the status and powers of a provincial cabinet minister. Under the laws, he is entitled to attend sessions of the Punjab Assembly.
Ali will focus on designing and implementing forward-looking projects to improve governance, enhance public service delivery, and create employment opportunities, with a strong emphasis on emerging technologies and AI-enabled solutions.
Ali brings an extensive academic and professional background in science and technology to the role.
After completing his schooling at Aitchison College, Lahore, he moved to the United Kingdom in 2000 for higher education.
He studied at University College London (UCL) and later at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), where he earned a degree in Software Engineering.
Sources said that since the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) formed the government following the 2024 general elections, Ali has been actively involved in pro-bono national initiatives behind the scenes.
Beyond his professional engagements, Ali has been a prominent advocate for autism awareness in Pakistan.
He has been associated with initiatives supporting children with autism, and has received widespread appreciation for raising awareness on social media, often drawing from his personal experience as the father of his 18-year-old son, Ibrahim, who has autism.
Ali is married to Asma Nawaz Sharif, daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and sister of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
He is also the eldest son of Senator Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. Ali, along with his wife and children, remained with the Dar and Nawaz families during their stay in the United Kingdom before returning to Pakistan approximately three years ago.
In the private sector, Ali is the founder of the HDS Group of Companies, a UAE-based business conglomerate with a primary focus on real estate development.
He served as the group’s chief executive officer until 2024, after which he relocated permanently to Pakistan. The group’s operations are currently overseen by his younger brother, Hasnain Dar.