ISLAMABAD, Dec 16 (APP): Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja on Monday said that the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill would soon be passed by Parliament to establish a unified digital identity for citizens, aiming to centralize social, economic, and governance data.
Addressing the National Broadband Network (NBN) Forum 2024 – Gigabit for All, organized by Huawei and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the minister said that the legislation would “enable the transformation of Pakistan into a digital nation, fostering a digital society, digital economy, and digital governance.”
Under the legislation she said that the government planned to establish two new bodies including National Digital Commission (NDC) headed by the Prime Minister, with participation from the four chief ministers and leaders of key organizations like the State Bank, FBR, and PTA.
Pakistan Digital Authority included by top industry experts, tasked with implementing a comprehensive national framework and master plan for digitization, would also be established, she added.
The minister said that reliable, high-speed connectivity was an essential necessity for modern life. The government’s digitization strategy will prioritize three verticals: economy, governance, and society, with a unified digital identity for every citizen at its core.
Shaza Fatima Khawaja said that 70% of cabinet operations were already managed through e-governance, underscoring Pakistan’s commitment to leveraging technology for sustainable advancement and progress.
The minister stressed the importance of protecting children in the digital space, citing international examples like Australia’s legislation regulating children’s social media usage and the U.S.’s child protection laws.
She urged collective efforts to ensure a safe digital environment for the youth. She said that Pakistan had been ranked among the top tiers in the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2024 due to the efforts of various departments, including the FIA, Ministry of Defence, and law enforcement agencies.
She said, 4G and 5G Spectrum Auction was expected in April 2024, this move was expected to improve connectivity and attract further investment in the IT sector.
She credited the government for stabilizing the economy, strengthening the currency, and reducing inflation and interest rates.
She highlighted that these positive economic indicators had encouraged investments in technology infrastructure.
She said, over 1.1 million laptops had been provided to talented public university students during the Pakistan Muslim League’s tenure under Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership.
The minister said affordable smart-phones on easy installments would be made available to all citizens. Local production of smart-phones had reached 14 million units, with plans to export these devices.
.jpg)
