The Government of Pakistan has introduced a comprehensive National Data Governance Policy that formally recognises government-held data as a strategic national asset while significantly expanding citizens’ rights over their personal information.
The policy, issued by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, establishes a unified framework for how public-sector data is collected, managed, shared, protected, and eventually disposed of across the federal government.
Policy applies across entire public sector
Under the new framework, the policy applies to all federal ministries, departments, statutory bodies, public-sector organisations, and any contractors or partners that handle government data on their behalf.
Officials said the goal is to eliminate fragmented data practices and introduce consistent standards for data governance across the state.
Citizens gain access and control over personal data
One of the most significant changes introduced by the policy is a clear set of rights for citizens regarding personal data held by government institutions.
Citizens will have the right to know what personal information the government holds about them. They will also be entitled to request details about who accessed their data, when it was accessed, and for what purpose.
The policy allows individuals to request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete records. In specific circumstances, citizens may also request the deletion of their personal data, aligning government practices more closely with international data protection standards.
In addition, citizens will be able to obtain their data in structured, machine-readable formats, making it easier to transfer information between authorised systems.
Mandatory complaint and redress mechanisms
Government institutions will be required to establish accessible complaint-handling and redress mechanisms to address citizen concerns related to misuse, inaccuracies, or unauthorised access to personal data.
Officials said this provision is designed to increase accountability and build trust between citizens and public institutions.
Government data to be held in public trust
The policy fundamentally changes how government data is viewed and managed.
Rather than being treated as the property of individual departments, all public-sector data will now be held in trust for citizens. Government bodies will act as custodians, responsible for ensuring that data is accurate, secure, lawfully processed, and shared only through authorised channels.
This shift is intended to promote inter-agency cooperation while maintaining strong safeguards against misuse.
Once-only principle aims to reduce bureaucracy
To reduce administrative burden and repetitive paperwork, the policy introduces a “once-only” principle.
This means citizens should not be required to submit the same information multiple times to different government departments if that data already exists within authorised government systems.
Officials said the change is expected to streamline service delivery and improve efficiency across public institutions.
Stronger privacy and consent rules introduced
The framework places stricter conditions on how personal data can be processed.
Consent must be specific, informed, and capable of being withdrawn. The policy also introduces enhanced protections for sensitive personal information and data related to children.
Government agencies will be required to embed privacy safeguards into the design of digital systems from the outset, a concept known as privacy by design.
Pakistan Digital Authority to oversee enforcement
Implementation and oversight of the policy will be handled by the Pakistan Digital Authority.
The authority will establish a National Data Governance Council and monitor compliance across federal institutions. It will also issue guidelines and coordinate between agencies to ensure consistent application of the policy.
A step toward stronger digital governance
According to officials, the National Data Governance Policy is intended to strengthen digital governance, improve public service delivery, protect citizen privacy, and increase public confidence as Pakistan accelerates its digital transformation.
The policy marks one of the most significant shifts in how government data is managed in Pakistan, placing citizen rights, accountability, and transparency at the centre of the country’s evolving digital framework.
