Pakistan Digital Authority to oversee data governance under proposed national policy
- Proposed National Data Governance Policy 2026 aims to strengthen oversight of government data.
- Federal institutions may be required to appoint Chief Data Officers and follow a unified governance framework.
- Pakistan Digital Authority is expected to monitor compliance, conduct audits and publish annual performance assessments.
The Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA), operating under the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, is set to play a central role in managing data governance across federal institutions under the proposed National Data Governance Policy 2026.
According to sources, the draft policy proposes granting the Pakistan Digital Authority broad regulatory responsibilities to oversee how data is managed and governed across federal government departments. All federal institutions would be required to implement a unified national data governance framework to ensure consistent standards.
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Under the proposal, the authority would supervise the National Open Data Portal and the National Data Exchange Platform, maintain the National Data Catalog, and carry out regular audits of government institutions to assess compliance with data governance requirements.
The proposed framework also makes it mandatory for every federal institution to appoint a Chief Data Officer (CDO). These officers would be responsible for implementing data governance policies, ensuring the lawful use of data, and submitting compliance reports.
The draft policy further calls for the creation of a National Data Governance Council, to be chaired by the Pakistan Digital Authority. The council would include representatives from the federal and provincial governments, regulatory bodies, and other key stakeholders to coordinate data governance efforts nationwide.
In addition, the Pakistan Digital Authority would introduce a National Data Maturity Index to evaluate the performance of public institutions. Annual data governance performance reports of government agencies would also be made public.
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