The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Technology passed Monday the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill by a majority vote, an official statement stated.
The development came a week after the National Assembly’s committee passed the bill amid opposition from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The bill was introduced by Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunication, in the Senate on January 24, 2025.
The federal government tabled the bill in the National Assembly last month.
The bill aims to establish a unified digital identity for citizens with centralised social, economic, and governance data.
As per the government, the purpose of the bill is to align Pakistan’s economy, governance, and services sector with the modern digital system practiced internationally.
The government plans to establish three governance bodies; the National Digital Commission (NDC), the Strategic Oversight Committee (SOC), and the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA).
As per the bill copy available on the National Assembly’s website, the NDC, chaired by the prime minister and comprising federal and provincial leadership, will set the strategic vision and policy framework for the country’s digital transformation. The PDA will implement these policies by coordinating and harmonising digital initiatives across all levels of government. The SOC will be monitoring the PDA’s performance while providing an independent review to the NDC ensuring alignment with the Masterplan.
“We are hoping that with the creation of a unified digital identity for every citizen of Pakistan, we will be well on a pathway towards unlocking the true potential that this country holds,” said Shaza Fatima in a statement last month.
The Monday’s Senate committee meeting was attended by Senators Kamran Murtaza, Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto, Anusha Rahman Ahmed Khan, Manzoor Ahmed, Syed Kazim Ali Shah, and Saifullah Sarwar Khan Nyazee.
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