Pakistan Passes Digital Nation Act to Transform Infrastructure and Identity Systems

Pakistan’s National Assembly has passed the Digital Nation Pakistan Act 2024, a comprehensive legislative initiative aimed at transforming the country’s digital infrastructure and governance. The bill, presented by Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, establishes new frameworks for digital identity, governance, and economic development, building upon Pakistan’s existing digital identity infrastructure.

The legislation creates a National Digital Commission (NDC), which will be headed by the Prime Minister and include all four Chief Ministers, along with leaders from key organizations including the State Bank of Pakistan, Federal Board of Revenue, and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. A Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA), led by industry experts, will implement policies determined by the NDC.

Central to the act is the creation of an enhanced digital identity system for citizens that will incorporate health data, asset information, and other social indicators. This system expands upon NADRA’s existing biometric initiatives, which already include enhanced identification documents for children and specialized verification systems for various demographic groups. The system aims to streamline access to government services, including ID cards, land records, birth certificates, and health records.

Minister Khawaja stated that the bill will “provide for the transformation of Pakistan into a digital nation, enabling a digital society, digital economy and digital governance.”

The legislation passed alongside the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, which establishes a Social Media Protection Authority. Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan expressed concerns that the bill could “lay a foundation for the suppression of voices advocating for constitutional rights.”

The digital transformation initiative comes as Pakistan has been actively modernizing its identification systems, recently transitioning digital ID applications from web-based platforms to mobile applications. Other digital identity initiatives include the planned implementation of facial recognition systems for pensioners and the introduction of biometric verification for vehicle registrations in certain provinces.

Implementation of the act will involve coordination between multiple government agencies and departments, with oversight from both the NDC and PDA. The legislation addresses data privacy considerations through regulatory frameworks for the collection and storage of personal information, building upon NADRA’s existing security protocols for biometric data management.

Sources: Hum English, Hindustan Times

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January 24, 2025 – by Ali Nassar-Smith