ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan has moved closer to adopting its National Data Governance Policy 2026, with the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA) presenting a draft framework during a high-level consultative meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja.

The meeting brought together representatives from federal and provincial governments, who submitted recommendations on data governance, legal harmonisation and implementation to help shape the country’s national framework for managing public-sector data.

Officials said the proposed policy aims to establish a secure, interoperable and future-ready data governance system that enables the responsible protection, sharing and use of government data while supporting Pakistan’s digital transformation agenda.

The Pakistan Digital Authority will finalize the policy after incorporating recommendations from participating institutions, with officials stressing that broad stakeholder input is essential to ensure the framework is practical and implementable.

Addressing the meeting, Minister Shaza Fatima described the National Data Governance Policy as a key milestone in Pakistan’s digital transformation, saying a comprehensive framework for the protection, exchange and responsible use of government data is critical to improving governance and public service delivery.

“The government is the largest custodian of public data, making secure and transparent data governance our foremost priority,” she said.

Speaking at the consultation, Dr. Sohail Munir said the policy would support the implementation of Pakistan’s National Digital Master Plan and strengthen the country’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

He clarified that the proposed framework does not seek to consolidate all government data into a single centralized database. Instead, ownership, control and protection of data will remain with the respective public institutions.

Under the proposed “Wasl” framework, government entities will be able to exchange data securely while retaining control over their own information, enabling interoperability without compromising data sovereignty or institutional ownership.

Officials said the policy is expected to lay the foundation for a modern national data governance ecosystem, balancing security, transparency and inter-agency collaboration as Pakistan accelerates its Digital Pakistan agenda.