NA panel appreciates Pakistan Digital Authority’s performanc – Pakistan Today

NA panel appreciates Pakistan Digital Authority’s performanceStaff ReportNovember 4, 2026ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication on Tuesday appreciated the performance of the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA), following a briefing on its role in advancing the country’s digital transformation.The meeting, chaired by Syed Amin-ul-Haque, was attended by PDA Chairperson Dr Sohail Munir. Committee members Aasiya Ishaq, Pullain Baloch, Ammar Laghari, Sadiq Ali Memon, Dr Mahesh Kumar, Attiq Anwar and Ahmed Saleem Siddiqui raised questions about the Authority’s mandate and its efforts to promote IT awareness and software development.Dr Munir briefed the committee on the concepts of Digital Society, Digital Economy and Digital Governance, outlining their potential benefits for citizens and businesses. He also explained the Digital Nation Pakistan Act, 2025, and underscored the importance of data in enabling informed policymaking.“If used well, data can add 2% to GDP. It is a national asset that must be protected, and the Pakistan Digital Authority is its regulator,” he said.He also highlighted the risks associated with artificial intelligence, noting that different AI models could produce different responses to the same question.“AI carries its own risks. The same question can produce a different answer from every model. Our citizens are already using these tools to make real decisions, and they need to be protected,” he said.Dr Munir described the National Digital Commission (NDC) as the highest-level body for ensuring national cohesion in digital governance. He said implementation rested with the provinces, while differences among government departments and in inter-provincial affairs continued to hamper data sharing and digital collaboration.Citing estimates by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), he said such institutional friction carried an economic cost equivalent to 39% of GDP. The proposed reforms aim to overcome these barriers through a new mode of collaboration, potentially unlocking opportunities worth $60 billion to $80 billion over five years.He said the National Digital Masterplan covered 15 sectors, adding that the PDA was developing a coordinated, shared mechanism through consultations with stakeholders to standardise digital governance across the country.Committee member Aasiya Ishaq appreciated the Authority’s efforts and sought details about data protection, particularly measures to ensure that citizens’ data did not leave the country.Responding to her concerns, Dr Munir said the PDA was developing regulations, standards and implementation guidelines while also building WASL, Pakistan’s National Data Exchange Layer.He said the system would facilitate secure data sharing, ensuring that information was exchanged only with the consent of citizens and data owners.No comments yet. Be the first to join the discussion!Pakistan Today is one of Pakistan's leading English-language newspapers, delivering breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful commentary on national and international affairs.Get the latest news delivered to your inbox.© 2026 Pakistan Today. All rights reserved. Powered by Mindblaze Technologies.source