Govt aims to complete provincial consultations on NDMP before budget

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema on Saturday expressed hope that consultations with all provinces on the National Digital Masterplan (NDMP) would be completed before the upcoming federal budget, aiming to align priorities, ensure implementation readiness, and streamline resource planning for the next fiscal year.

The development came as Ahad Cheema and Advisor to the Prime Minister’s Office Dr Tauqeer Shah co-chaired a meeting on the NDMP to review progress on Pakistan’s digital transformation agenda and strengthen coordination among federal and provincial stakeholders, as per a statement from the Economic Affairs Division (EAD).

As per the details, Federal Minister for IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Secretary IT Zarrar Hashim Khan, Chairman Pakistan Digital Authority Dr Sohail Munir, and senior officials briefed the co-chairs on the implementation roadmap, institutional coordination mechanisms, and ongoing initiatives under the National Digital Masterplan.

“During the meeting, Federal Minister Ahad Cheema appreciated the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication for its active engagement with provincial governments and emphasised that strong provincial participation would be essential for the successful implementation of the National Digital Masterplan.

“He stated that the NDMP represents a national framework designed to ensure inclusive and coordinated digital transformation across all sectors of the economy, including education, health, agriculture, taxation, social protection, energy, logistics, and public service delivery,” the statement read.

Cheema expressed hope that consultations with all provinces on the NDMP would be finalised before the upcoming federal budget to ensure alignment of priorities, implementation readiness, and effective resource planning for the next fiscal year.

The minister said he expected provincial governments to finalise their feedback and consultations with the Ministry of IT on the NDMP before the budget. He further underscored that improved inter-provincial collaboration would help create harmonised digital systems, strengthen service delivery, and enhance transparency and efficiency in governance.

“The participants of meeting reviewed a proposal to introduce a dedicated digital transformation column in the PC-1 of new development projects, similar to the existing environment-related component in project planning.

“The proposal aims to ensure that digital integration and technology adoption are incorporated into project design and implementation from the outset, enabling improved governance, efficiency, transparency, and service delivery across sectors,” the EAD said.

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The meeting was further briefed that the NDMP envisions transforming Pakistan into a leading digital nation through investments in digital infrastructure, nationwide connectivity, digital skills development, innovation ecosystems, and modernised governance frameworks.

The masterplan also focuses on promoting digital entrepreneurship, strengthening public sector digital services, enabling secure and interoperable digital public infrastructure, and fostering a technology-driven economy capable of attracting investment and generating employment opportunities for youth.

Cheema said the public would be the ultimate beneficiary of the digital masterplan as it would minimise human intervention and create greater ease in accessing government services.

He said citizens would be able to obtain basic public services and facilities without the need to visit government offices, thereby improving efficiency, transparency, and convenience.