ISLAMABAD, Sep 8 (APP):Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja on Tuesday welcomed the launch of the Senate Mobile App, saying digital transformation would make the institution more efficient, transparent and responsive. Addressing the launching ceremony of the Senate Mobile Application, she said the government’s digital transformation agenda had three major aspects: digital economy, digital society and digital governance. She said that under digital governance, the digital …
Senate of Pakistan’s digitization to further enhance transparency, efficiency: Shaza Fatima
ISLAMABAD, Sep 8 (APP):Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja on Tuesday welcomed the launch of the Senate Mobile App, saying digital transformation would make the institution more efficient, transparent and responsive.
Addressing the launching ceremony of the Senate Mobile Application, she said the government’s digital transformation agenda had three major aspects: digital economy, digital society and digital governance.
She said that under digital governance, the digital transformation of all government and public-sector institutions was a core agenda.
Shaza Fatima said the Digital Nation Pakistan Act was passed by the Senate and National Assembly last year, under which the Pakistan Digital Authority was formed.
She said digital transformation was no longer limited to the IT sector but had become a cross-sectoral element.
The minister said technological transformation was a paradigm shift affecting everyday life, health, education, finance and national security, with systems such as EdTech, GovTech and FinTech emerging rapidly.
She said the Senate’s participation in the digital transformation process and bringing governance to technology would not only make the institution more efficient but also improve transparency and efficacy and empower senators.
Shaza Fatima said the initiative was not merely about launching a mobile application but represented a wider process of digitization.
Recalling the parliamentary system in 2013, she said Parliament was completely paper-based when she joined it. She said multiple reforms were later introduced in the National Assembly.
The minister recalled that parliamentarians previously had to visit a small room on the last Friday of a session to submit questions, resulting in a rush and a non-transparent system.
She said the process was later automated, with questions handled through ballots, emails and first-come, first-served timestamps.
“Today, from anywhere in the world, you can even submit your questions, access your agenda, and participate,” she said, describing it as a massive transformation.
She said transparency had improved and expressed hope that efficiency would also continue to improve.
Shaza Fatima said around 68 per cent of the world’s parliaments had digital transformation strategies and expressed satisfaction that Pakistan was also moving rapidly in this direction.
The minister said the government wanted to develop a complete legislative stack by digitizing parliamentary data, including legislation, laws, committees and press releases.
She said the government was also working with the Supreme Court to digitize its decisions taken on various occasions.
She said such a system would allow parliamentarians to access relevant information at the click of a button when legislating or conducting research.
Shaza Fatima said the Pakistan Digital Authority, along with Parliament and the courts, could help establish a complete legislative stack to promote innovation and make policymaking better, more efficient and informed.
She said such efforts would help close gaps that existed in the past.
The minister also highlighted the lack of individual research and legislative support for Pakistani parliamentarians compared with developed countries.
She said parliamentarians generally did not have personal staff assigned for research or legislative support.
She said the Parliamentary Services Institute and other shared parliamentary resources were available, but individual offices and support staff provided to parliamentarians in many other countries were not available in Pakistan.
She said digital interventions could help bridge this gap by providing access to researchers, legislative experts and subject-matter experts.
Recalling the government’s e-office initiative, she said the government had earlier relied on the physical movement of files, while automation had now transformed the working of ministries.
She said the Prime Minister had encouraged automation of ministries through cabinet meetings, leading to positive competition.
“Today, all the ministries have gone paperless,” she said, expressing hope that the Senate would also become paperless.
Shaza Fatima said efficiency in Parliament was not merely a matter of administrative convenience but represented democratic responsiveness and the responsibility of public representatives towards citizens.
She assured continued support for automation and congratulated the team and leadership behind the initiative.
