Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD:National Assembly on Thursday passed a pill to provide for the transformation of Pakistan into a digital nation, enabling a digital society, digital economy, and digital governance [The Digital Nation Pakistan Bill, 2024].
The Minister of State Shaza Fatima Khawaja tabled the Information Technology and Telecommunication bill. It seeks to harness the power of digital technologies to create a modern, efficient, and sustainable digital ecosystem across the country.
The legislation aims to accelerate sustainable economic development, modernize governance frameworks, enhance citizen welfare, and improve the delivery of public services.
Key objectives include creating a progressive digital society, fostering a thriving digital economy, and establishing a secure and collaborative digital governance ecosystem supported by robust public infrastructure.
The bill also addresses long-standing issues in the IT and telecommunication sector, such as bureaucratic red tape and departmental challenges, which have hindered progress.
It promises to eliminate these obstacles, enabling faster decision-making and more effective implementation of IT initiatives.
Ms. Shaza Fatima clarified that the bill does not centralize data collection but focuses on streamlining digital identity and enhancing cybersecurity measures. She added that the rules established under the bill would help reduce corruption and improve the efficiency of public service delivery by minimizing paperwork and digitizing processes.
The legislation is considered a significant step toward connecting Pakistan with the global digital landscape and fostering clear, sustainable progress in the field of information technology.
