Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja has shared a year-end reflection for 2025, describing steady progress in Pakistan’s digital agenda and acknowledging collaboration across government, industry, and international partners. In a LinkedIn post this week, Khawaja thanked development finance institutions, civil society, friendly countries, local and international partners, and federal government leadership for supporting the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication throughout the year. She noted that the recap was not exhaustive but intended to highlight key areas where measurable progress was achieved, including digital governance, connectivity, IT exports, emerging technologies, and skills development.
The reflection comes after what has been a pivotal year for the ministry under Khawaja’s leadership, following her elevation to full federal minister in March 2025. During the year, the government passed the Digital Nation Pakistan Act 2025 and obtained cabinet approval for the National AI Policy in July. These initiatives aim to lay the foundation for a comprehensive national digital ecosystem encompassing artificial intelligence, cloud services, data centers, ethical governance frameworks, and public sector digitization. The minister highlighted the government’s focus on strengthening Pakistan’s digital infrastructure while enhancing regulatory and governance frameworks.
GovTech emerged as a major focus in the year-end reflection, with the ministry advancing efforts toward a paperless federal government, expanding e-governance services, and implementing the “Pakistan Stack,” a set of digital public infrastructure tools including secure data exchange and universal digital payments. Government officials have stated a goal of putting over 100 public services online by the end of 2025. On the economic front, IT and IT-enabled services exports grew to an estimated $3.5 billion in the first ten months of the fiscal year, while mobile internet access indicators improved significantly, with approximately eight million new female users joining the digital ecosystem, narrowing the gender gap in connectivity.
The ministry also highlighted its push into emerging technologies and skills development through large-scale AI competitions, cybersecurity hackathons, and training programs delivered through Ignite and public-private partnerships. Internationally, Pakistan showcased its digital ambitions at technology forums in Shanghai, Riyadh, Amman, Geneva, Doha, and Dubai, securing commitments exceeding $700 million in digital and technology-related investments. Khawaja’s efforts received global recognition, including inclusion in GovInsider’s Women in GovTech 2025 report, highlighting her focus on inclusive and citizen-centered digital policy. She also represented Pakistan at multiple international forums, emphasizing the government’s Digital Pakistan vision across social, economic, and governance sectors.
While acknowledging ongoing challenges, including regulatory bottlenecks and internet performance issues, Khawaja framed 2025 as a year of tangible achievements rather than rhetoric. She emphasized the importance of collaboration in positioning Pakistan as a credible technology destination and moving toward a modern, digitally enabled state. Her reflection underscores a focus on building foundational digital infrastructure, enhancing service delivery, and supporting human capital development, which she described as critical to sustaining growth in Pakistan’s digital economy.
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