Summary In addition, it will be mandatory to appoint a Chief Data Officer in each federal agency. Chief Data Officers will be responsible for policy implementation, legal use of data, and compliance reporting
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The Pakistan Digital Authority, a subsidiary of the Ministry of IT, has decided to establish a central data regulatory authority in the country.
According to sources, under the proposed National Data Governance Policy 2026, the Pakistan Digital Authority will be given broad powers. The Pakistan Digital Authority will oversee data governance in federal institutions, while all federal institutions will have to ensure the implementation of the national data governance framework.
According to the regulatory authority, the Pakistan Digital Authority will monitor the National Open Data Portal and the National Data Exchange Platform. The authority will maintain the National Data Catalog and conduct regular audits of government agencies.
In addition, it will be mandatory to appoint a Chief Data Officer in each federal agency. Chief Data Officers will be responsible for policy implementation, legal use of data, and compliance reporting.
Under the proposed policy, a National Data Governance Council will be established, headed by the Pakistan Digital Authority. The National Data Governance Council will include representatives from the federal and provincial governments, regulators and other stakeholders, while the Pakistan Digital Authority will issue a National Data Maturity Index to assess the performance of institutions.
Furthermore, the annual data governance performance of government agencies will be presented to the public, the Pakistan Digital Authority will have the powers to audit, take corrective actions, and ensure compliance, while action can be taken under applicable laws against government agencies that continue to fail to comply.
