NA Standing Committee Calls for More Deliberation on Key Aspects of ‘Digital Nation Bill 2024’

Islamabad: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication’s discussion on the government’s Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2024 ended inconclusively, with the committee calling for further deliberation on the proposed legislation.

The meeting, chaired by Syed Aminul Haque, was convened to review the bill, which had been introduced in the National Assembly on Monday by the Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja. Secretary of IT and Telecom Zarar Hasham Khan also provided a briefing on the bill’s provisions.

The proposed legislation outlines a new digital framework aimed at transforming Pakistan’s technological infrastructure, based on global standards. Khawaja noted that it is the first of such reforms in the country to streamline operations, eliminate unnecessary procedures, and repair bureaucratic inefficiencies across ministries. She also pointed out advantages for such fields as health, where the system will be useful in tracking the emergence of diseases.

The Digital Nation Bill has been backed by $78 million funding for which the World Bank has committed under the Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP). The project aims to provide the foundation for the country’s digitization plan with the current goal of connecting all databases by August 14th, 2025. Additionally, the chief ministers of all four provinces will be included in the proposed National Digital Commission.

Despite the bill’s promise, committee members voiced worries over legislative ambiguities, especially regarding the planned “data exchange layer.” The members pointed out that although the project had some advantages, they were not sufficiently consulted throughout the drafting stage. The measure, which suggests the establishment of a commission and an authority, was observed as lacking in clarity in some spheres.

Due to these concerns, the committee agreed to meet on Wednesday, 18th December, 2024, to further its debate on and sort out the remaining contentious items before it could approve the bill in question.