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Islamabad, June 12, 2025 – Pakistan’s digital transformation journey achieved another milestone with the official launch of the National Open Data Portal (NODP) at the Pakistan Open Data Conference 2025 in Islamabad. The pivotal event was co-hosted by the National Center in Big Data and Cloud Computing (NCBC) at LUMS and the Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives (MoPD&S).
Developed by NCBC at LUMS, the NODP is the first-of-its-kind central platform in Pakistan, providing public access to a vast array of government datasets. These datasets span critical sectors including health, education, economy, environment, infrastructure, and demographics. The portal’s primary objective is to foster transparency, empower researchers and civil society organizations, and facilitate data-driven policymaking and innovation across the nation.
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, inaugurated the portal, praising the NCBC and LUMS team for their monumental achievement in bringing this national platform. He highlighted his privilege in being part of the journey that led to the establishment of NCBC, acknowledging its crucial role in building local capacity in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. The minister emphasised that “Pakistan’s development narrative will now be written in code and understood through data,” stressing that leveraging digital tools is a crucial national priority.
He further underscored that the NODP’s launch is a major milestone, empowering policymakers, researchers, and the public with access to valuable, structured datasets. This access, he noted, will support better decision-making, innovation, and transparency, ultimately leading to a stronger, more data-informed Pakistan. Concluding with a powerful call to action, Ahsan Iqbal stated, “In a rapidly digitizing world, it is no longer enough to make declarations – we must deliver results. Let us unite – government, academia, industry, and our youth – to build a data-smart, cloud-enabled, globally competitive Pakistan. The launch of the National Open Data Portal is not the conclusion – it is the beginning of a new era.”
Dr. Naveed Arshad, Director of NCBC at LUMS, welcomed participants by emphasizing the strategic importance of open data for a digitally empowered Pakistan. He eloquently remarked that “data is the new oil—but unlike oil, the more we share it, the more value we unlock.” He affirmed that the Open Data Portal’s launch represents a crucial investment in transparency, knowledge-sharing, and innovation for Pakistan’s digital future.
Reflecting on NCBC’s establishment at LUMS in 2018, made possible by the Government of Pakistan’s support, Dr. Arshad shared that collaborating with 12 partner institutions nationwide has been a journey of collective growth and technical excellence. He extended his highest appreciation and recognition to all contributors for their unwavering dedication to this endeavor.
The event featured engaging live demonstrations of the newly launched portal and a high-level panel discussion titled ‘Harnessing the Power of Open Data.’ Industry experts, including Khurram Rahat, Sardar Ikram Khan, Dr. Akbar Nasir Khan, and Salman Aslam, shared their insights. Discussions focused on unlocking the economic, social, and governance value inherent in public data and fostering cross-sectoral collaboration to develop data-led solutions.
The Pakistan Open Data Conference 2025 marks a significant stride in Pakistan’s digital governance landscape, reaffirming LUMS’ national role as a convener of thought leadership and a powerful catalyst for innovation.
