Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) Deputy Director General Rabia Awan presented Pakistan’s progress in ICT data collection through household surveys, and how that data feeds into policymaking, at the Expert Group meeting held during ICT Data Week on September 8, 2026, in Geneva. The presentation focused on the country’s approach to integrating ICT statistics modules into regular household surveys, positioning National Statistical Offices (NSOs) like PBS as the mandated institutions best placed to lead this kind of data collection given their existing infrastructure for large scale, methodologically consistent surveys. Awan framed Pakistan’s experience as evidence that this integration provides a sustainable mechanism for generating reliable and credible demand side ICT data, rather than relying on ad hoc or one off data collection exercises.
According to Awan, embedding ICT measurement within existing statistical systems helps ensure that the resulting data carries sound methodology, technical rigor, and representative coverage, serving a dual purpose that extends beyond simple data gathering. On one hand, this data feeds into international reporting requirements and monitoring frameworks tied to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), where countries are expected to track digital access and usage indicators as part of broader development benchmarks. On the other hand, the same data serves as direct evidence for national digital policies, planning processes, and decision making within Pakistan itself, giving policymakers a domestically generated basis for shaping connectivity and digital access initiatives rather than relying solely on estimates from international bodies or private sector sources.
Pakistan’s participation in the Geneva meeting reflects the country’s continued engagement with international bodies on statistical methodology and data standards, an area PBS has been working to modernize more broadly through its own digital transformation efforts, including its earlier shift from manual to electronic data collection methods and development of Android based data collection software and dashboards. By presenting its specific approach to integrating ICT modules into household surveys, PBS positioned Pakistan’s methodology as a potential reference point for other countries navigating similar challenges in generating reliable demand side digital access data, particularly countries with comparable statistical infrastructure and development priorities.
Awan closed her presentation by outlining what she described as the way forward for ICT statistics work going forward, calling for continued collaboration between national and international statistical bodies, deeper integration of ICT measurement into regular statistical systems rather than treating it as a separate specialized exercise, and a sustained focus on ensuring the resulting data remains reliable, comparable across time periods and countries, and directly relevant to the policy questions decision makers actually need answered. Whether Pakistan’s specific approach to ICT data integration gains wider adoption or influence among other National Statistical Offices attending the same Expert Group sessions will likely depend on how the broader ICT Data Week discussions in Geneva translate into updated international guidelines or recommended practices for ICT statistics collection going forward.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
