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ISLAMABAD, Nov 20 (APP):Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja on Thursday said that the government of Pakistan is finalising a national cybersecurity policy, which will establish an independent Cybersecurity Authority.
In an interview with the VB.KG editorial team, she said, “It will protect government systems, data, and citizens in the digital age.”
Shaza Fatima Khawaja is currently in Kyrgyzstan to attend the CAREC 24th Ministerial Conference in Bishkek.
She discussed the country’s most successful digital initiatives, the creation of a unified system of electronic services, cybersecurity, and prospects for cooperation with Kyrgyzstan.
In early January, the minister said, “We passed the Pakistan Digital Nation Act, which became a comprehensive roadmap for digital transformation in three key areas: the economy, public administration, and society. This was followed by the approval of a national artificial intelligence policy.”
She said that the most significant step was the launch of digital ID cards — a serious challenge for a country with a population of 240 million.
At the same time, the government of Pakistan is moving toward comprehensive digital transformation, including in the economy and the social sector.
Shaza Fatima said, “We’re also creating our own super app, similar to Kyrgyzstan’s ‘Tunduk.’ It will allow citizens to access government services remotely, completely contactless. If we talk about specific successes, there are two of them. The first is the RAAST digital payment system.”
She further elaborated that it is implemented through a single QR code, works across all banks and digital wallets, and accelerates the country’s transition to fully digital transactions.
For example, during Ramadan, 800,000 women opened digital wallets thanks to subsidies paid through RAAST.
The second, she said, is the e-office electronic government system.
“Today, 98% of federal government work has been transferred to electronic format. The prime minister and ministers can see the movement of all files and documents in real time, increasing the transparency and efficiency of the government apparatus.”
Responding to a question about how Pakistan managed to ensure public access to digital government services, she said the Pakistan Digital Nation Act became a key instrument, creating the Pakistan Digital Agency and the National Digital Commission, chaired by the prime minister.
The commission includes provincial governors and heads of major regulatory agencies, ensuring consistency of digital policy across the country.
She said the super app for Islamabad, “Asaan Khidmat Islamabad,” is already operational, and work is underway to expand it across the country.
“We’ve also digitalised the identity card system. Online applications are now available, allowing citizens to receive a digital, electronically verifiable identity. Over 50 government services are available online, and we plan to expand this number to 100 by December,” the minister said.
To a question regarding cybersecurity amid increasing digitalisation, she said, “We have created Pakistan CERT (National Computer Emergency Response Team), which monitors threats, responds to incidents, and issues recommendations. There are also other agencies, such as the NTISB, which is responsible for the security of government information systems.”
The minister said Pakistan sees great potential in expanding cooperation with Kyrgyzstan. “One area is a fibre-optic connection between Central Asia and Pakistan’s submarine cable stations in Karachi. Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country, and we can provide it with a shorter route to the global network.”
When asked whether broader cooperation is possible in the field of digital technologies, she said, “Yes, absolutely. Beyond infrastructure, we see great potential in B2B cooperation.
A memorandum of understanding between our companies has already been signed at the CAREC forum.”
Pakistani IT companies, she said, operate in more than 190 countries worldwide, and Pakistan is ready to provide this level of global access to Kyrgyz partners when developing joint projects.
“This will enable us to develop joint products, enhance skills, share expertise, and strengthen ties between our countries,” she added.