ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Establishment Division, Ahad Cheema, has announced that the government is all set to launch the National Digital Plan (NDP), comprising three pillars, digital governance, digital economy, and digital society, aimed at supporting growth across all sectors.
The minister made the announcement while chairing a meeting on the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA), which was also attended by Federal Minister for Information Technology, Shaza Fatima, along with the PDA Chairman.
Cheema informed participants that his ministry is making all-out efforts to place the master plan on the agenda of the upcoming meeting of provincial chief ministers with the Prime Minister for discussion.
The participants discussed consultations held with provincial IT departments and other stakeholders on the National Digital Master Plan. The minister said the objective was to build alignment around a national digital framework while respecting provincial domains. He noted that better coordination on data and registries across sectors could help government institutions access reliable, verified information and plan public services more effectively.
The minister emphasised that digitalisation and AI-driven transformation should deliver tangible outcomes across government and contribute to growth in every sector. He said the PDA's sector-wise plans should set out practical outcomes and realistic timelines. The sector-wise agenda, including work on health, education, commerce, and other areas, will be reviewed at the Authority's next meeting.
On education, Cheema highlighted the need for a structured roadmap to introduce modern digital and AI-related skills through educational institutions, including for primary and middle-grade students. He said students should be equipped with future-relevant skills through formal learning, supported by up-to-date knowledge and practices.
On healthcare, the meeting discussed unified patient records and a registry to maintain clinical histories and treatment information across public and private hospitals. A computerised, CNIC-based system could help make patient records accessible and support continuity of care, the minister said.
The PDA highlighted the need for dedicated AI experts and digitally literate focal persons in ministries and divisions to support digital transformation and facilitate the collection and use of reliable data.
Senator Cheema said existing staff responsible for IT-related work should be trained for these roles. He also noted that the Establishment Division has a pool of personnel made available through the introduction of e-Office who could be trained and deployed to support the government's digitalisation work. Further discussion on staffing arrangements would be held with the Establishment Division.
The PDA agreed to work with the National Information Technology Board (NITB) on training and informed the meeting that it was already working with federal divisions to strengthen digital capacity.
Senator Cheema appreciated the PDA's contribution to the launch of the Prime Minister's Fuel Relief Scheme, as well as its work on the PMOS system and other initiatives. He emphasised extending the Authority's efforts across more areas of government to deliver tangible benefits to the public.
