The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology convened to discuss the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2024. The meeting, chaired by Minister Syed Amin-ul-Haque, focused on reviewing the proposed legislation, which was presented in the National Assembly a day earlier by IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
The meeting was held with a single-point agenda to deliberate on the bill. During the session, IT Secretary Zarar Hasham Khan emphasized the importance of digital transformation, stating that modern societies thrive on digital economies, governance, and societies. He added that the proposed system would simplify processes such as degree verification from the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and other similar tasks, ultimately benefiting the general public.
The new system, developed after studying global standards and practices, aims to bring significant improvements to Pakistan’s digital infrastructure.
Minister of State Shaza Fatima Khawaja described the bill as a historic step for Pakistan, highlighting its potential to eliminate bureaucratic delays and red tape. She noted that the initiative would interconnect key departments, including Excise, FBR, Licensing, SECP, and the State Bank, to streamline operations. The health sector is also expected to benefit, as the system will enable better tracking of disease outbreaks.
The project is supported by $78 million in funding from the World Bank under the Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP). The law, developed as part of DEEP, aims to establish the foundational infrastructure for digital transformation by August 14, 2025, linking all existing databases into a unified system.
The National Digital Commission, which will oversee the initiative, will include the Chief Ministers of all four provinces, reflecting its national significance. Additionally, a National Digital Master Plan is being developed to centralize data management. Instead of maintaining separate data centers for each ministry, the plan proposes a centralized data center. Currently, data centers are operated by NTC, NADRA, and private entities, while the Election Commission’s data is managed by NTC.
Emerging Technologies and Regulation
Shaza Fatima stressed the need for regulating emerging technologies, noting that Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the world. She called for the involvement of global experts to ensure the legislation aligns with international standards.
Concerns and Suggestions
Sharmila Faruqi raised concerns about the lack of consultation with committee members, pointing out ambiguities in the bill, particularly regarding the “data exchange layer”. She suggested further discussion before approval. Similarly, Sher Ali Arbab criticized the rushed timeline, recommending a follow-up meeting in two or three days to address unresolved issues.
The IT Secretary clarified that the data exchange layer is essentially an interchange layer bus and that feedback on the software was obtained from PASHA (Pakistan Software Houses Association). He assured the committee that all stakeholders had been consulted during the bill’s drafting process.
Syed Ali Qasim Gilani acknowledged the bill’s importance but noted the challenge of gathering all 17 committee members for approval. He supported the inclusion of provincial Chief Ministers and key ministers in the proposed commission.
Urgency for Approval
Shaza Fatima urged members to approve the bill, warning that delays could result in a 1.5-month break due to winter holidays. She assured members that amendments could still be made during the National Assembly debate scheduled for tomorrow. She also emphasized the need to involve Pakistani experts abroad and consult political parties to ensure broad support for the initiative.
The Standing Committee decided to postpone the approval of the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2024 until tomorrow, allowing for further consultation. A follow-up meeting will be held to address concerns and finalize the bill before it is presented in the National Assembly.
