The federal government tabled the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill, 2024, in the National Assembly session on Monday.
The bill was tabled by Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
It aims to create a digital identity for citizens, with the aim of centralising social, economic, and governance data. Today’s agenda said the legislation would “provide for the transformation of Pakistan into a digital nation, enabling a digital society, digital economy and digital governance”.
The bill, aimed at digitising the economy and promoting e-governance, was approved by the federal cabinet in June.
According to sources, the government plans to create two new bodies: the National Digital Commission (NDC), headed by the prime minister, including all four chief ministers and heads of organisations like the State Bank, FBR and PTA; and the Pakistan Digital Authority, to be led by top industry experts.
One of the major propositions under the new regime is a digital identity for every citizen. It would include data about an individual’s health, assets and other social indicators.
The bill’s objective, as stated by officials, was to improve access to departments managing ID cards, land records, birth certificates and health records.
The digitisation effort would also target government departments, which will be given goal-oriented plans to improve services.
The new digital ID programme will be along the same lines as the initiatives implemented in the UAE, India and Estonia.
But digital rights experts have called for more clarity on how the government intends to secure the centralised data system.
More to follow.
