‘Pakistan’s digital future hinges on data governance reforms’

Islamabad:Panelists at a policy dialogue stressed the need for introducing comprehensive and cohesive data protection laws and frameworks in the country so that the misuse of data might be stopped.

They were speaking at the policy dialogue on "Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) on data governance in Pakistan" organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) here Wednesday.

In his opening remarks, SDPI Executive-Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, terming data “the new synonym for wealth and power,” warned that its misuse could lead to societal harm. In our drive for digitalisation, we are overlooking crucial aspects of data protection, he said, citing recent examples of financial data breaches and warning against Pakistan becoming another cautionary tale like Bangladesh’s central bank hack.

Pakistan has the potential and legislative scaffolding to become a leader in digital governance for which it should act swiftly to harmonise its laws, protect citizen data and ensure equitable access to information, he said, adding that SDPI is committed to continuing such platforms for dialogue, aiming to drive meaningful policy reforms for a secure and inclusive digital Pakistan.

Brig (retd) Muhammad Yasin, Advisor, SDPI, emphasising the session’s importance for economic growth, public trust and global cooperation pointed out that although Pakistan introduced progressive legislation including the Digital Nation Act, no law is permanent and continuous refinement is essential to adapt to the evolving digital landscape.

Ikram ul Haq Qureshi, a representative from Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication reiterated that data has become the new currency. He said that the Ministry has finalised a draft data protection law now ready to enter the legislative pipeline. The Digital Nation Pakistan Act will establish a national data governance authority to facilitate secure data sharing between government, businesses, and citizens, he revealed.

Presenting findings from the Data for Development (D4D) Asia Study, Aslam Hayat of LIRNE Asia pointed out the lack of a unified data standardisation policy, absence of a national data-sharing platform and inefficient use of its existing databases. Despite being a pioneer in data collection since the 1970s, Pakistan still lacks a concrete data protection regime, he added.

Pranesh Prakash, also of LIRNE Asia, said Pakistan needs to shift from reactive to proactive transparency. “Data governance isn't just about regulation — it's about open access, equitable digital ecosystems, and innovation,” he noted.

Brig Mohsin Ikhlaq from NADRA discussed indigenous efforts in cybersecurity and raised concerns over unregulated open data practices and overlapping data collection by public and private entities.