The Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA) has appointed Rizwan Haider as its Authority Secretary, bringing experience in digital identity systems, corporate governance, regulatory affairs and government technology projects to the organisation. Haider joins the Authority from NADRA Technologies Limited (NTL), where he served as Company Secretary and oversaw corporate governance, board affairs, regulatory matters and statutory compliance. His appointment comes as the PDA works to establish institutional foundations for digital government services and improve how public institutions use technology to serve citizens.
Haider has spent a significant part of his career at the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), contributing to initiatives involving identity documentation and registration systems. According to the PDA, he was part of the team that introduced smart card technology and machine-readable documents in Pakistan. He also helped extend Pakistan’s identity and civil-registration expertise to projects in other countries, including Bangladesh’s driving licence project with the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, as well as projects in Saudi Arabia and Kenya. This experience connects his work with the digital identity systems that support public administration, identity verification and access to government services.
During his service in NADRA’s Islamabad region, Haider worked in verification and operations, leading teams that became the organisation’s best-performing in the country, according to the PDA announcement. The Authority said process improvements under his leadership reduced citizen waiting times by more than 20 percent. Such improvements are relevant to public-sector digitisation, where better workflows and more efficient verification procedures can reduce delays and make services easier to access. His background also includes private-sector and financial management roles. He served as Chief Marketing Officer at Expert Systems (Pvt) Ltd and Business Development Manager at InfoTech Group, where he worked on e-governance projects for government clients. At Fauji Foundation, he served as Manager Finance and Accounts, established a new department and acted as the Foundation’s financial lead in a Build-Operate-Transfer project that was later acquired by NADRA.
The PDA said Haider brings a combination of digital identity expertise and governance experience to the Authority as it develops the institutional framework for a digital nation. Digital public infrastructure depends not only on technology platforms but also on clear accountability, reliable data systems, effective coordination and sound governance practices. Haider was also the main presenter for NTL’s first multiple competitive wins at the Pakistan IT Industry Association (P@SHA) Awards 2025, according to the announcement. The Authority has not outlined specific projects or immediate priorities assigned to him in his new role. His appointment, however, adds experience in identity systems, public-sector operations and corporate compliance to an institution focused on advancing digital government in Pakistan.
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