The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the government’s Digital Nation Pakistan Bill, 2024, but was unable to reach a conclusion. The committee decided that more deliberation was needed before moving forward with the proposed legislation.
The meeting, chaired by Syed Aminul Haque, aimed to review the bill, which was presented to the National Assembly the day before by Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja. The committee was briefed on the bill by Secretary of IT and Telecom, Zarar Hasham Khan, who outlined the proposed system. The bill aims to create a digital transformation in Pakistan, drawing from global best practices to improve the efficiency of government services, particularly for the benefit of the common man.
Khawaja emphasized that the bill marks a historic step for Pakistan, with the law set to address bureaucratic delays and inefficiencies in government ministries. She highlighted that the healthcare sector would greatly benefit from the system, especially in tracking the spread of diseases. The funding for this digital transformation has already been secured, with the World Bank providing $78 million under the Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP). The goal is to implement the basic digital infrastructure by August 14, 2025, linking all existing databases into a unified system. Additionally, the bill proposes the creation of a National Digital Commission, which will include chief ministers from all four provinces.
However, while the committee members recognized the potential of the initiative, they raised concerns about the lack of consultation with them during the preparation of the bill. They expressed confusion about certain aspects of the bill, particularly the “data exchange layer,” and emphasized the need for further clarification. As a result, the committee decided to postpone approval and reconvene for further discussions on Wednesday.
