In a landmark development for Pakistan’s digital future, the federal minister for planning, Ahsan Iqbal, officially launched the National Open Data Portal on Thursday. The portal will serve as a centralized platform providing public access to government datasets spanning crucial sectors such as healthcare, education, economy, environment, infrastructure, and demographics.
The unveiling took place at the Pakistan Open Data Conference 2025, hosted by the National Centre in Big Data and Cloud Computing (NCBC) at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), in partnership with the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives. Developed by NCBC, this pioneering portal aims to promote transparency, empower researchers and civil society, and facilitate data-driven policymaking and innovation.
Minister Ahsan Iqbal praised NCBC’s role in building local capacity in artificial intelligence and machine learning, underscoring that Pakistan’s development narrative will increasingly be driven by data and digital tools—an imperative national priority. He described the portal launch as a major milestone that equips policymakers, researchers, and the public with valuable structured data, enhancing decision-making, innovation, and transparency.
Concluding his remarks, Iqbal emphasized the need for concrete results in a rapidly digitizing world, calling for united efforts from government, academia, industry, and youth to build a data-smart, cloud-enabled, and globally competitive Pakistan. He framed the portal’s launch not as an endpoint, but the beginning of a new era in data empowerment.
The event also featured live demonstrations of the portal and a high-level panel discussion titled “Harnessing the Power of Open Data,” featuring insights from industry leaders.
