Senate Committee to Deliberate on Digital Nation Pakistan Bill Next Week

The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology has scheduled a meeting on Monday, January 27, to discuss the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill.

The single-point agenda of the meeting will focus on reviewing and approving the proposed legislation. The session will be chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan and held at the Parliament House at 11 AM.

The Digital Nation Pakistan Bill was presented in the Senate earlier today by Minister of State Shaza Fatima. According to sources, the government aims to secure the bill’s approval during the committee meeting. Members of the committee, particularly those representing the government, have been instructed to ensure their attendance.

The National Assembly approved the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2025 a day earlier. The bill calls for the establishment of a 17-member National Digital Commission, to be headed by the Prime Minister. The commission will include chief ministers of all provinces, federal ministers, and heads of key institutions such as the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).

Under the bill, the commission will oversee the development and implementation of a National Digital Master Plan aimed at transforming Pakistan into a fully digital nation. The commission will facilitate coordination among government bodies for digital transformation and will have the authority to take action in case of non-compliance with the master plan. Additionally, a Pakistan Digital Authority will be established to implement the plan, with its chairman and members appointed for a four-year term by the Prime Minister.

The bill also proposes the formation of a Strategic Oversight Committee to evaluate the authority’s performance, with the relevant federal minister serving as its chair. The Digital Master Plan will focus on creating a digital economy, digitizing governance systems, and outlining strategies for digital transformation across sectors. A Digital Nation Fund will be set up to meet the commission’s financial requirements, enabling it to seek assistance from experts or agencies to achieve its objectives.