Digital Pakistan Policy expected to be launched by the end of August

The Digital Pakistan Policy (DPP) 2021 – a comprehensive policy dictating the crucial elements needed to tap into the global digital market and empower Pakistanis in the digital era – has an expected launch date sometime towards the end of August.

As reported by Business Recorder, this announcement was made by Member Information Technology (IT) of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications (MoITT) Syed Junaid Imam, while addressing at a two-day consultative meeting on DPP 2021.

Imam explained that the DPP 2021 was being formulated through a comprehensive consultative process from all four provinces and the two regions of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the policy was a start to the digital era for Pakistan and would provide the necessary elements to tab the digital global market.

Digitization is not only about business, but it is also for providing services to marginalized groups. Overall objective of the DPP 2021 was economic growth and citizen empowerment, the Member IT added.

Oxfam and Bargad, in collaboration with MoITT, organized the consultative meeting on DPP 2021. The meeting also featured insightful discussions on the empowerment of women, transgender persons, and disabled persons in the context of the DPP 2021.

Sabiha Shaheen, of Bargad, stated that policy design was as important as the policy implementation. Meanwhile, Seher Afsheen from Oxfam stressed the need for robust digital transformation. She highlighted several benefits of living in a digital Pakistan, including empowerment of the youth and women.

Chairman P@SHA Barkan Saeed was also present in the meeting, and he stressed that the digital policy should specify actionable initiatives.