Islamabad: The Pakistan Digital Authority, a subsidiary of
the Ministry of IT, has decided to create a central data regulator authority in
the country.
According to sources, under the proposed National Data
Governance Policy 2026, the Pakistan Digital Authority will be given broad
powers. The Pakistan Digital Authority will monitor data governance in federal
institutions, while all federal institutions will have to ensure the
implementation of the national data governance framework.
According to the regulatory authority, the Pakistan Digital
Authority will monitor the National Open Data Portal and the National Data
Exchange Platform. The authority will maintain the National Data Catalog and
also conduct regular audits of government institutions. In addition, it will be
mandatory to appoint a Chief Data Officer in each federal institution. The
Chief Data Officers will be responsible for policy implementation, legal use of
data and reporting on compliance.
Under the proposed policy, a National Data Governance Council
will be established, headed by the Pakistan Digital Authority. The National
Data Governance Council will include representatives of the federal and
provincial governments, regulators and other stakeholders, while the Pakistan
Digital Authority will issue a National Data Maturity Index to assess the
performance of institutions.
Furthermore, the annual data governance performance of
government institutions will be presented to the public. The Pakistan Digital
Authority will have the powers to audit, take corrective measures and ensure
compliance, while action can be taken under applicable laws against government
institutions that are persistently non-compliant.
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