Around 1,000 women participated in the 10th edition of Women Tech Quest (WTQ) 2026, a technology competition held simultaneously in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
The event attracted more than 5,000 registrations nationwide, with a focus on applying artificial intelligence (AI) to coding, design, and quality assurance and testing.
Held under the theme “Compete. Create. Connect.”, the competition brought together around 200 participants at FAST-NUCES in Islamabad, 200 at 10Pearls’ Lahore office and over 600 at the National Aerospace Science and Technology Park (NASTP) in Karachi.
More than 400 people also attended conference sessions, panel discussions and networking activities.
The competition featured three categories: Build with AI for coding, Imagine with AI for design, and Validate with AI for quality assurance and testing. Participants were challenged to use AI tools to address practical problems.
The event was attended by British Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi Alison Blackburne, British High Commission Head of Lahore Office Ben Warrington, Chief of Staff at the Office of AI and Special Initiatives Aman Arman, and Bank of Punjab Head of Governance, Digital Banking Sidra Jawaid.
10Pearls Managing Director for the Middle East and Pakistan Rabia Azfar Nizami said the initiative was launched a decade ago to give women opportunities to showcase their talent, strengthen their technical capabilities and pursue careers in technology.
She emphasised the importance of platforms that provide women with access to skills, professional networks and industry opportunities, enabling them to play a greater role in Pakistan’s digital economy.
Nine winners across the three categories shared prize money worth Rs500,000. They also received AI credits and giveaways from Google and Figma.
The competition was supported by Lay’s, the Bank of Punjab, Figma, Hilton Pharma and Cheezious.
Over the past 10 years, Women Tech Quest has promoted women’s participation in the technology sector through competitions, skills development and professional networking.
Its latest edition comes amid the growing adoption of AI, which is creating new opportunities while increasing demand for digital and technical expertise.
