Pakistan strengthens digital transformation, cybersecurity framework: Shaza Fatima
Technology
The commission will be chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and will include chief ministers of all four provinces, federal cabinet members, and regulatory bodies
ISLAMABAD (APP) - Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, on Thursday highlighted the government’s initiatives on digital transformation, cybersecurity, and citizens’ digital rights.
Replying to questions duration question hour in National Assembly, she said Pakistan had passed the Digital Nation Pakistan Act 2025 for the first time, under which the government established the Pakistan Digital Authority and the National Digital Commission.
The commission will be chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and will include 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 prepare a national digital master plan, which will be approved by the National Digital Commission. All major digital transformation decisions will be taken under the prime minister’s leadership with participation from provincial and federal stakeholders.
Shaza Fatima also highlighted the government’s National AI Policy, recently approved by the federal cabinet. She described it as a “groundbreaking and revolutionary policy” aligned with the prime minister’s vision for a Digital Nation Pakistan. The policy focuses on six pillars, including infrastructure, innovation, training, and secure and ethical deployment of artificial intelligence (AI).
She explained that the AI framework will address concerns such as misinformation, disinformation, children’s online safety, and citizens’ privacy. The policy aims to ensure that AI applications in Pakistan follow ethical standards and minimize biases in AI systems.
On cybersecurity, the minister said Pakistan already has an approved national cybersecurity framework designed to safeguard public-sector digital infrastructure. She noted that Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) have been established at both federal and provincial levels. These teams work with the National Telecommunication and Information Security Board (NTISB) to protect government data, prevent cyberattacks, and monitor threats such as phishing attempts.
The minister added that the federal government has digitized its operations through the e-Office system, making the federal government largely paperless. The system has reduced file processing time from 25 days to around four days and improved transparency through dashboard monitoring by the prime minister. Parliament, courts, and 42 federal departments are also gradually shifting to the digital system.
Addressing citizens’ digital rights and connectivity, Shaza Fatima said Pakistan had recently landed three new submarine internet cables to improve global connectivity. She also announced that right-of-way charges for fiberization would be removed to accelerate broadband infrastructure across the country.
