Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja has highlighted Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to strengthen digital transformation, cybersecurity, and the protection of citizens’ digital rights.
Speaking during the question hour in the National Assembly, the minister said the government had passed the Digital Nation Pakistan Act 2025, establishing two key bodies: the Pakistan Digital Authority and the National Digital Commission. The commission will be chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and will include the chief ministers of all four provinces, federal cabinet members, and regulatory bodies to ensure nationwide representation in digital policy decisions.
According to the minister, the Pakistan Digital Authority will develop a national digital master plan, which will then be reviewed and approved by the National Digital Commission. Major digital transformation decisions will be taken under the leadership of the prime minister with participation from federal and provincial stakeholders.
Shaza Fatima also highlighted the National AI Policy, recently approved by the federal cabinet. She described the policy as a major step toward realizing the vision of Digital Nation Pakistan, focusing on six pillars including digital infrastructure, innovation, skills development, and the responsible and secure use of artificial intelligence.
The policy also addresses risks associated with emerging technologies, including misinformation, disinformation, children’s online safety, and citizens’ privacy. The framework aims to ensure that AI applications follow ethical standards and minimize bias.
On cybersecurity, the minister noted that Pakistan already has a national cybersecurity framework in place to protect public sector digital infrastructure. Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) have been established at federal and provincial levels and work with the National Telecommunication and Information Security Board (NTISB) to monitor threats, prevent cyberattacks, and protect government data from risks such as phishing.
She further stated that the federal government has digitized much of its administrative operations through the e-Office system, which has significantly improved efficiency. The digital system has reduced file processing time from around 25 days to approximately four days and enables monitoring through dashboards overseen by the prime minister. Parliament, courts, and 42 federal departments are also transitioning to the digital platform.
Addressing connectivity, the minister said Pakistan recently landed three new submarine internet cables to strengthen international connectivity. She also announced plans to remove right-of-way charges for fiber deployment to accelerate broadband expansion across the country.
