Digital nation?

If you are living in Pakistan, you might be forgiven for thinking that we are stuck in a technological dark age. Slow internet speeds, the ban on X (formerly Twitter) which is accessible only through VPNs that are themselves intermittently blocked, and the constant uncertainty about whether WhatsApp or email attachments will function – this is the reality of our so-called digital existence. In this setting of digital dysfunction, the government has now tabled a bill in the National Assembly with grand ambitions to transform Pakistan into a ‘digital nation’. The government’s inspiration for this bill ostensibly comes from centralised governance models in other countries. According to the bill, two new bodies will be created to oversee the digitisation of governance. Citizens will be assigned a digital identity, encompassing data on property, wealth, assets, health, and other social indicators. The government says that this will enable better service delivery and formalise the economy. However, given Pakistan’s dismal track record with both digital infrastructure and governance, scepticism is inevitable. Critics ask whether this will instead usher in a new era of intrusive data collection and surveillance.

Consider the irony: in a country where even basic internet services are unreliable, the government proposes sweeping digital reforms. Pakistan also has no comprehensive data protection laws to safeguard citizens’ personal information. Without such safeguards, there are no limits to how this data can be collected, stored, or misused. The potential for abuse is immense in a country where cybersecurity measures are woefully inadequate. Horror stories abound of personal data being hacked, leading to financial losses and other complications. The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and the Punjab Defamation Act have already been used to target dissenting voices, from journalists to vloggers. Digital rights experts ask if this digital ID initiative will make it easier to monitor and control citizens without their consent.

Perhaps the best way forward is to take on as many stakeholders on board as possible. Digital reforms in themselves are not a bad idea at all. Nor is ensuring efficiency by digitising governance. The only concern here is: is the government, instead of focusing on fixing basic infrastructure, ensuring internet access, and addressing the digital divide, prioritising centralised data collection? Pakistan’s potential for digital progress is immense, but it will remain untapped as long as the government prioritises control over empowerment. A true digital nation empowers its citizens with access to information, safeguards their rights, and builds trust through transparency and accountability. What we are seeing instead is a top-down approach. The government must rethink its way of approaching this. Before introducing ambitious digital reforms, it must first address the fundamentals: reliable internet access, robust cybersecurity measures, and laws that protect citizens’ data and privacy. Any move toward digitisation must be transparent and involve public consultation. Citizens have a right to know how their data will be used and to provide or withhold their consent. Even a hybrid democracy owes its citizens the pretence of democratic values. If the government truly wants to build a digital nation, it must start by building trust – not firewalls.