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ISLAMABAD, Jul 2 (APP):Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Prof Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday visited the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) where he was given a comprehensive presentation on the dynamic data collected by PBS during the historic first digital census and other censuses and surveys.
The presentation highlighted the immense potential of this data for effective and efficient planning, implementation, and monitoring of development and economic growth interventions under the Uraan Pakistan initiative, said a press release issued here.
During his visit, the Minister also toured the state-of-the-art URAAN Pakistan Data Centre, which stands as a cornerstone for modern governance. The meeting was attended by Chief Statistician Naeem uz Zafar and other senior officials from PBS and the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives.
The URAAN Pakistan Data Centre, a Tier 3 facility, provides a comprehensive view from the national level down to the household level, encompassing population demographics, economic indicators, trade, social sectors, household facilities and services, industries such as agriculture and livestock, and governance statistics. “URAAN Pakistan Data Centre is laying the foundation for modern and transparent governance,” he remarked.
The Minister, Prof Ahsan Iqbal, highlighted that this will facilitate the Government at all levels and the private sector, especially businesses, for data-driven planning and decision making; academia and researchers for deep analysis; and the general public for information.
The Minister suggested that PBS’s next goal should be to transform available data into useful products and tools.
He urged that data be collected according to the needs of chambers of commerce, private sector, researchers, and academic institutions.
Ahsan Iqbal underlined that sustainable development is not possible without education, and the real capital of any nation is its human resource. He noted that the success of the government’s 5Es (Exports, Energy, Environment, Education, and E-Governance) also hinges on authentic data.
He expressed satisfaction that Pakistan’s economic indicators are once again showing signs of recovery and reiterated the government’s commitment to achieving the goal of transforming Pakistan into a $1 trillion economy by 2035.
“Data is fuel- for audience based decision making to address issues such as energy, export, food security, and employment,” the Minister said. He added that data is key to identifying underserved regions and guiding youth employment and skills development initiatives.
He further said that policy and planning processes must now rely heavily on disaggregated and credible data. On the directives of Minister of Prof, Ahsan Iqbal, the data is presented both by administrative units and by electoral constituencies. Minister Prof Ahsan Iqbal said that presenting data at the constituency level will help elected representatives “see progress in their constituency and will ignite a conversation around growth and development.” He added that this approach will “foster healthy competition” among elected officials, shifting the focus from political mudslinging to measurable development and economic progress.
Speaking further, Minister Prof Ahsan Iqbal emphasized that the detailed, disaggregated data will fuel all planning, development, implementation, and monitoring activities under government initiatives. This data-centric approach is critical to achieving the ambitious goal of transforming Pakistan into a $1 trillion economy by 2035. He described this shift as moving towards scientific and precision planning, ensuring ultimate transparency and accountability. “Data is the fuel of decision-making in a modern economy,” he said, “and thanks to the URAAN Pakistan Data Centre, we now have the foundation for modern, transparent governance.”
Chief Statistician Naeem uz Zafar detailed the technical capabilities of the URAAN Pakistan Data Centre, which aligns with international standards and is built on a highly virtualized infrastructure. The primary site is located at PBS Headquarters in Islamabad, with a fully equipped Disaster Recovery (DR) site in Lahore. The Data Centre provides robust computing, storage, and networking capabilities to support PBS’s evolving data needs over the next decade. High-end servers ensure substantial computing power and memory for complex processing tasks. The centre includes over 700 terabytes of storage capacity, comprising a 512TB SAN storage system for centralized, high-performance data access, and a 184TB backup appliance to guarantee data protection and continuity through reliable disaster recovery systems.
This initiative reflects the government’s commitment to harnessing authentic, purposeful data for meaningful policy targets — from managing population growth and improving literacy rates to addressing energy, imports, food security, and youth employment. As Minister Iqbal put it, “Now, under the vision of the Prime Minister, we are moving towards precision planning and decision-making with complete transparency and accountability, powered by the URAAN Pakistan Data Centre.”