ISLAMABAD: The federal government is advancing a National Digital Master Plan aimed at promoting growth across sectors through digital governance, a digital economy and a digitally enabled society.
Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Establishment Division Senator Ahad Khan Cheema said the plan could be placed before the upcoming meeting of provincial chief ministers with the prime minister for discussion.
Chairing a meeting on the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA), Cheema said digitalisation and artificial intelligence-driven transformation should produce measurable outcomes across government and contribute to economic and social development.
The meeting, attended by IT and Telecom Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, PDA Chairman Dr Sohail Munir and relevant officials, reviewed sector-specific plans covering areas including health, education and commerce.
On education, Cheema called for a roadmap to introduce modern digital and AI-related skills in schools, including at the primary and middle levels.
The meeting also discussed developing unified, CNIC-based patient records that could allow medical histories and treatment information to be accessed across public and private hospitals, helping improve continuity of care.
The PDA stressed the need for AI specialists and digitally trained focal persons in ministries and divisions. Cheema said existing IT personnel could be trained for these roles, while staff made available through the e-Office system could also be deployed for digitalisation initiatives.
The PDA agreed to collaborate with the National Information Technology Board (NITB) on training and capacity building.
The meeting also reviewed consultations with provincial IT departments and other stakeholders on the National Digital Master Plan. Cheema said the framework should improve coordination on data and registries while respecting provincial jurisdictions and enabling institutions to access reliable information for better public-service planning.