New Digital Pakistan Policy Put on Hold by IT Ministry

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has suspended efforts for the development of the new Digital Pakistan Policy, noting it is giving priority to the recently-introduced Digital Nation Pakistan Bill.

Launched in 2018, the Digital Pakistan Policy focuses on enhancing connectivity, digitizing government processes, fostering IT industry growth, developing digital skills, and ensuring cybersecurity and data protection.

Officials from the IT Ministry believe the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill provides an adequate framework to address the country’s digital transformation needs. They stated that the ministry is prioritizing focused policies on emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and others.

The Digital Nation Pakistan Bill envisages the establishment of a 17-member National Digital Commission, which includes the Prime Minister as chair, chief ministers from each province, federal ministers, and heads of key institutions such as the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).

This commission was supposed to oversee the development and implementation of a National Digital Master Plan, coordinating among government bodies for digital transformation, but it seems the IT Ministry has decided to prioritize the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill.

The bill establishes the Pakistan Digital Authority, which will implement the plan with a chairman and members appointed by the Prime Minister for four years.