Islamabad — Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, emphasized the critical role of effective data use in achieving sustainable development during the National Conference on Climate Challenges. She announced the introduction of the Digital Nation Pakistan Act, a landmark legislation designed to establish a national system for data exchange and interoperability.
In her keynote speech, Minister Khawaja highlighted Pakistan’s rapidly evolving IT sector and stressed that efficient data utilization is essential for informed policy-making and decision-making. She hailed the new Act as a transformative step toward digital governance that will empower climate action and sustainable development.
The Minister also revealed a five-point framework that leverages IT, data, and technology to address environmental threats and climate risks. She noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif personally prioritizes climate challenges, regularly chairing relevant meetings to ensure focused government action.
Khawaja announced the creation of a National Incubation Center for Climate AgriTech, supporting young innovators through Ignite—a platform providing research, incubation, and commercialization assistance for climate-related technological solutions. She emphasized the government’s role as an enabler rather than an operator, fostering an environment conducive to startup growth.
Concluding, Khawaja introduced Pakistan Stack, a digital infrastructure initiative linking government data with innovators, which is expected to unlock new opportunities and economic growth for the country’s tech-driven youth.