Pakistan Digital Authority hosted representatives from Meta at its Islamabad headquarters to discuss areas of shared interest related to the country’s digital landscape, including digital public infrastructure, digital safety, artificial intelligence, and digital literacy. The meeting was chaired by Dr Sohail Munir, Chairperson of Pakistan Digital Authority, and attended by Member Aamer Rana, Chief DPI Officer Dr Sahibzada Ali Mahmud, and Senior Office Coordinator Rizwan Ahmed. The Meta delegation included Head of Public Policy for Pakistan Dania Mukhtar, Associate General Counsel for South and Southeast Asia Wan Yi Lee, Manager of Regulatory Compliance Noor Bano Khan, Associate Manager of South Asia Public Policy Tehara Punchihewa, and Policy Programs Manager for Safety and Integrity Vivian Liang.
During the meeting, Pakistan Digital Authority presented its mandate and strategic priorities, including its work on digital public infrastructure centered around the Digital Identity initiative known as Pak-ID, along with other citizen centric digital services. The authority also shared updates on the National Data Governance Policy and Pakistan’s evolving approach to artificial intelligence policy, giving the Meta delegation a detailed overview of the regulatory framework taking shape around the country’s digital transformation efforts.
The discussion also covered Pakistan Digital Authority’s work on enabling the broader ecosystem for initiatives like Pak-ID, with the authority outlining its policy role while noting that the National Database and Registration Authority remains responsible for the initiative’s actual implementation. Meta, in turn, shared details of its own initiatives in Pakistan, including programs focused on digital safety, digital literacy, public health awareness, and the Small Business Growth Academy, which supports small and medium enterprises through digital tools and capacity building support.
Both sides discussed potential areas of continued engagement, including digital literacy, online safety, and emerging technologies, reflecting overlapping priorities between the government authority and the technology company. The meeting concluded with mutual interest in continued dialogue on digital safety and artificial intelligence through regular communication between Pakistan Digital Authority and Meta, adding to a broader pattern of engagement between Pakistani regulatory bodies and major global technology firms on policy issues tied to AI governance and online safety.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
