PM Shehbaz Sharif directs federal ministries to complete data digitization and strengthen the centralized digital infrastructure under the Digital Nation Pakistan program.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reviewed progress on the implementation of the Digital Nation Pakistan program across federal ministries and directed all ministries to complete necessary measures for providing relevant data to the national digital platform within the stipulated timeframe.

Chairing a meeting on the performance of federal ministries and the digitization of relevant data under the program, Shehbaz said a centralized national data center would play a key role in delivering government services and facilitating citizens.

The prime minister said the responsibilities of federal ministries, along with the provision of relevant data to the centralized data center, would help bring the government system in line with modern requirements.

He said the Digital Nation Pakistan program was aimed at ensuring effective and convenient services for citizens. The availability of useful data from different sectors and government institutions at a single platform would also contribute to the country’s economic development, he added.

Shehbaz cited the successful implementation of the fuel subsidy scheme for deserving segments as an example of how data sharing among institutions could play a key role in delivering public relief.

He also said digitizing the performance and relevant data of ministries was important for addressing corruption and institutional mismanagement.

The prime minister appreciated the Health Ministry’s initiatives, in coordination with provincial governments, to develop universal medical records at the national level. He also praised the implementation of QR codes to help ensure the supply of quality medicines across the country.

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications briefed the meeting on steps being taken for sectoral digitization in coordination with relevant ministries. It said digitization in key public-service sectors, particularly health and agriculture, was being prioritized to facilitate citizens.

The ministry also said it was taking measures, in collaboration with the Ministry of Law and Justice, to make relevant national laws available at a single platform to provide better guidance for future legislation.

According to the briefing, work was continuing on the digitization of priority sectors in line with the prime minister’s directions, with measures focused on digital government services, the digital economy and digital public facilitation.

Representatives of various federal ministries briefed the meeting on their public services, performance and the provision of relevant data to the centralized data center. The Health Ministry gave a special briefing on the provision of health-related data to the central data center and the use of digitization for the verification of medicines.

Shehbaz directed all federal ministries to complete the digitization of relevant data within the prescribed timeframe in coordination with provincial governments and concerned institutions.

Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar, National Health Services Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal, Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja and relevant government officials attended the meeting.