Data Is a National Asset That Can Add 2% to GDP, PDA Chairperson Briefs National Assembly Standing Committee
Islamabad, 3 November 2026: Syed Amin-ul-Haque, MNA, Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication, appreciated the performance of the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA) after a briefing to the Committee at Parliament House on Tuesday.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Sohail Munir, Chairperson of the Pakistan Digital Authority. Members of the National Assembly, including Aasiya Ishaq, Pullain Baloch, Ammar Laghari, Sadiq Ali Memon, Dr. Mahesh Kumar, Attiq Anwar and Ahmed Saleem Siddiqui, asked questions about the Authority and its role in promoting IT awareness and software development.
Dr. Sohail Munir briefed the Committee on Digital Society, Digital Economy and Digital Governance, and their benefits for citizens and businesses. He outlined the Digital Nation Pakistan Act, 2025 and highlighted the importance of data for informed policymaking.
Dr. Sohail Munir said: “If used well, data can add 2% to GDP. It is a national asset that must be protected, and the Pakistan Digital Authority is its regulator.”
He added: “AI carries its own risks. The same question can produce a different answer from every model. Our citizens are already using these tools to make real decisions, and they need to be protected.”
The Chairperson said the National Digital Commission (NDC) is the highest body for national cohesion, as execution lies with the provinces and there is friction between departments and in inter-provincial affairs on data and digital collaboration.
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He noted that the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) has estimated the cost of this friction at 39% of GDP. The aim is to remove this friction through a new way of working, which presents a potential opportunity of US$60–80 billion over five years.
Dr. Sohail said the National Digital Masterplan covers 15 sectors, and PDA is developing a coordinated, shared mechanism through stakeholder consultations to standardise digital governance.
Aasiya Ishaq, MNA, appreciated PDA’s efforts and asked about data protection and how to ensure data does not leave the country.
Dr. Sohail Munir said that, alongside developing regulations, standards and implementation guidelines, PDA is building WASL, Pakistan’s National Data Exchange Layer, which will ensure that data is shared securely and only with the consent of citizens and data owners.
About the Pakistan Digital Authority
The Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA) is the statutory body established under the Digital Nation Pakistan Act, 2025, to lead Pakistan’s transition to a digital nation. PDA is mandated to build secure, interoperable Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), to establish national standards for digital governance, data, AI regulation, citizen experience, and to coordinate digital transformation across federal and provincial jurisdictions. PDA drives public sector innovation and delivers simple, trusted and seamless digital services for all Pakistanis. www.pda.gov.pk.
