Dec 17, 2024
By Rana Malhi and Muhammad Junaid
ISLAMABAD
The Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, presented the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2024 in the National Assembly on Monday, December 16, aiming to establish ‘digital identities’ for citizens and to centralize social, economic, and governance related data.
Approved by the federal cabinet in June 2024, the proposed legislation seeks to ‘harness digital technologies to drive economic development, improve citizen well-being, and modernize governance frameworks’. It proposes the establishment of three new government bodies, the National Digital Commission (NDC) and the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA) and the Strategic Oversight Committee (SOC), to oversee and implement the objectives of the draft law.
The bill will now be transferred to the Standing Committee on IT and Telecom for further deliberation.
Key features
The bill outlines plans to transform Pakistan into a ‘digital nation’ by creating a ‘robust and inclusive digital public infrastructure, promoting a thriving digital economy and society, modernizing governance to improve public service delivery, and establishing secure and interoperable data frameworks.’
The NDC, chaired by the Prime Minister, will include provincial chief ministers and heads of key institutions such as the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). Its primary responsibilities will include approving a National Digital Masterplan, which is envisioned as ‘a comprehensive framework for digital transformation, aligning national digital initiatives with economic growth and societal development, and coordinating efforts among federal, provincial, and sectoral bodies to ensure a unified approach.’
The commission will also issue directives to address inter-jurisdictional challenges and ensure compliance with this masterplan.
The PDA, led by industry experts, will develop, update, and monitor the National Digital Masterplan. It will evaluate projects under the masterplan to ensure alignment with strategic goals and establish a national data strategy and governance framework. Additionally, it will oversee compliance with cloud infrastructure standards and national cloud policies, facilitate a digital economy strategy, and ensure the adoption of core digital public infrastructure.
The SOC will be headed by the Federal Minister of IT and Telecommunication, with the secretaries of IT, Finance and Planning, representative of the Special Investment Facilitation Council, and four representatives from the private sector as its members. The committee would monitor the PDA’s performance and provide an independent review to the NDC, the apex body under this policy, ensuring alignment with the National Digital Masterplan.
What does this mean for citizens?
A key highlight of the bill is the proposal to introduce a digital identity for every citizen, which will encompass data on health, assets, and other social indicators. This initiative aims to streamline access to essential services, including identity cards, land records, birth certificates, and health records.
Government departments will also be tasked with implementing goal-oriented digitization plans to improve efficiency and service delivery.
The program is modeled on successful digital identity systems in the UAE, India, and Estonia.
Estonia, often hailed as a global leader in digital governance, has made electronic identity (e-ID) cards mandatory for all citizens. The system revolves around a personal ID code, granting seamless access to essential services like healthcare, police records, population registers, and telecommunications. Since launching its e-ID scheme in 2002, Estonia has digitized services as critical as voting, health records, residency permits, and even marriage registrations.
Similarly, the UAE operates a robust digital system called UAE Pass. It enables citizens and residents to access services offered by over 12,000 government, semi-government, and private sector entities. The UAE Pass also allows users to digitally sign documents, simplifying administrative processes and ensuring greater convenience.
Should we be worried about it?
Despite its ambitious vision, the bill has faced criticism from digital rights experts who have raised concerns over the security of a centralized data system. Experts have called for clear safeguards to protect sensitive information and ensure citizens’ privacy.
Speaking exclusively to Voicepk.net, digital rights expert and Director of Bolo Bhi, Usama Khilji, raised some critical questions about its implementation and implications.
“One of the major concerns is Pakistan’s lack of a comprehensive data protection law. Without proper legislation, it remains unclear how citizens’ sensitive data will be stored, processed, and protected from breaches,” Khilji said, adding that past incidents of data leaks, such as those involving the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), underscore the risks of centralizing personal data without robust safeguards.
Khilji also pointed out that the effectiveness of a digital identity system depends heavily on reliable internet connectivity, which remains inconsistent in Pakistan. Frequent disruptions and limited digital access in rural areas could prevent citizens from accessing their digital IDs and essential services, widening the digital divide.
Parliament is going to pass another bill on Digital Pakistan but Parliament cannot increase the speed of Internet. This speed is controlled by someone else. Without increasing this speed and providing protection to digital platforms we cannot move forward. https://t.co/eL6HobzW2B
— Hamid Mir حامد میر (@HamidMirPAK) December 17, 2024
“Privacy is another major concern. Without strong safeguards, a centralized digital ID system could potentially be misused for surveillance purposes, undermining citizens’ fundamental rights,” Khilji said.
He urged the government to ensure fundamental rights in a transparent and secure manner before making such legislation.
Bill faces criticism
Speaking exclusively to Voicepk.net, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Latif Khosa stated that the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees digital freedoms to the people, but the government is not acting in accordance with the law.
“Whether it is digital legislation or any other bill, the government is manipulating everything in its favor,” he said.
Jamiat Ulema e Islam-Fazal (JUI-F)’s Aliya Kamran criticized the federal government for restricting internet speeds under the guise of security measures, saying the government is introducing new laws while people are struggling to even access the internet.
“When we question the Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication about the slow internet speed, she gives vague excuses in the name of terrorism,” she said.