Experts discuss Pakistan’s digital future

Islamabad: Prominent players in the local digital industry held a lively and thought-provoking panel discussion on Pakistan’s digital future at the Serena Hotel here.

The event titled ‘Reimagine our Digital Future – Preparing to thrive or survive?’ and held as part of Raabta, Serena Hotel's public diplomacy initiative meant to create awareness among diverse groups and networks on critical aspects of socially significant fields such as the economy, health and education.

The panelists discussed the challenges facing the local digital economy in face of its rapid expansion, and the challenges and opportunities this brings in terms of innovation, governance, job market, cyber risks, regulation and ease of doing business.

Raabta curator Sidra Iqbal said the focus of the event was on the potential benefits and costs arising from global digital technology changes and, importantly, anticipation of public policy solutions to emerging problems that would shape the future of society and the economy for generations to come.

“Change can come within a generation if managed properly, rather than waiting for millennia. We are asking if the policymakers going to be reactive to the digital revolution or take the bull by the horn and prepare an environment for the digital economy to thrive,” she said.

The keynote speaker at the event was head of the prime minister's 'Digital Pakistan' initiative Tania Aidrus, who spoke about the five pillars that form the cornerstone of the Government’s digital policy which include access and connectivity, digital infrastructure, e-government and digital skilling.

She said the response to the PM’s digital initiative was overwhelmingly good and it felt like a movement already. "A lot is happening in the digital arena but it’s important to keep the end view in sight and take a strategic approach. Efforts at provincial and federal levels have to be synchronised to achieve the objectives on a broader scale," she said. She said the internet was a democratising force and digital technologies allowed equitable access to knowledge provided the affordability of digital infrastructure was enabled and commodities like the internet were not taxed as a luxury item.

Tania Aidrus compared 35 per cent internet penetration in Pakistan with 80 per cent in other developing countries like Myanmar and said Pakistani policymakers needed to ensure that smartphones and internet are more affordable and accessible especially in rural areas. She further said the AI and the internet of things is improving decision making in multiple areas like affordable healthcare, distance learning and transportation.