DIGITAL PAKISTAN MONITOR – May 2025
A monthly report on trends relating to digital rights, policies, practices & media
Tracking: Internet and digital policies and regulations
Digitalization in governance and socio-economic domains
Digital rights violations and protections
Digital rights advocacy and defense
Digital media and online free speech
Vol. 6, No. 5 – May 2025 Edition
Produced by Freedom Network – www.fnpk.org
SECTION 1: Internet and digital policies and regulations
- Federal and provincial governments (ministries and departments)
- Internet regulators
- Media regulators
- Telecom regulators
- Internet access / connectivity
Satellite net to boost connectivity in Pakistan
Date: May 4, 2025 – Source: Express Tribune
The launch of satellite internet services in Pakistan is highly anticipated, with operators gearing up to offer high-speed connectivity in the world’s fifth most populous country. This advancement is expected to foster a new digital ecosystem, drawing both local and foreign investment across core sectors.
Internet in Panjgur to remain suspended for six months
Date: May 27, 2025 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Express Tribune, Source 3: Pakistan Today
The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication was told that internet services in Balochistan’s Panjgur district remain suspended as intelligence agencies have withheld security clearance for the next six months.
SECTION 2: Digital rights advocacy and defense
- Pakistan-based citizens and civil society organizations
- Independent international digital rights organizations
- UN and global multilateral organizations
- Governmental and other sources
Tax cut urged to boost digital inclusion
Date: May 14, 2025 – Source: Express Tribune
Jazz Chief Financial Officer Farrukh Khan urged the federal government to cut withholding tax from 15 to eight per cent in the 2025-2026 budget, aiming to promote digital inclusion and integrate millions into the formal digital economy.
Date: May 25, 2025 – Source: The News
Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing rapidly but remains concentrated in a few nations – mainly in North America, Europe, and East Asia – who lead in research, funding, and infrastructure. Meanwhile, regions like South Asia, Africa, and Latin America mostly consume these technologies, risking marginalization in a future shaped by external values and priorities.
Accessibility of digital sphere: Women join online entrepreneurship space
Date: May 26, 2025 – Source: Express Tribune
In the dynamic world of e-commerce, a new wave of women entrepreneurs is reshaping the digital landscape. Harnessing the power of the internet, they are turning passions into thriving ventures – sparking inspiration and paving the way for others to follow.
SECTION 3: Digital rights violations and protections
- Citizens and netizens – including case studies
- Media, journalists and other information practitioners
- Online free speech
- Online access to information
- Privacy violations
- Data protection
- Surveillance
- Misinformation / disinformation / fake news
- Cybercrime
Date: May 4, 2025 – Source: The News
The rapid spread of false information online has made it increasingly difficult for the public to distinguish credible news from propaganda, leading to a reported decline in trust in the media.
AI, friend or foe for journalism?
Date: May 4, 2025 – Source: The News
Artificial intelligence (AI) is not inherently benevolent or harmful – it is a potent tool, shaped entirely by human intent. While its misuse has already exposed journalism to new risks, its responsible application offers opportunities to reinforce the field’s integrity. Ultimately, the fate of journalism in the AI era hinges not only on the technology, but on the wisdom with which it is wielded.
Information technology ministry presents National Cyber Security Policy in parliament
Date: May 6, 2025 – Source: The News
The Ministry of Information and Technology and Telecommunications unveiled the National Cyber Security Policy in the National Assembly (NA), aiming to fortify Pakistan’s digital infrastructure. The policy envisions an evolving cybersecurity framework that safeguards the confidentiality, integrity, and accessibility of digital assets.
Pakistan ramps up cybersecurity
Date: May 8, 2025 – Source: Express Tribune
Pakistan ramped up cybersecurity measures to protect its capital market infrastructure institutions from potential Indian hacking attempts, ensuring the continued smooth operation of currency and capital markets.
Date: May 9, 2025 – Source: The News
After a year-long blanket ban, social media platform X once again became accessible without the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) or proxy servers, marking a significant shift in the digital landscape.
Ministry, KPT’s X account hacked
Date: May 10, 2025 – Source: Express Tribune
The Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) confirmed that their official accounts on social media platform X were hacked, reportedly by Indian cyber actors.
Pakistan’s digital retaliation cripples India, inflicts strategic economic losses
Date: May 12, 2025 – Source: The News
Pakistan reportedly unleashed less than 10 per cent of its cyber arsenal, yet the ripple effect rattled India’s self-image as a global technology powerhouse. The most damaging blow was silent, with security sources reporting a staggering INR 6.9 trillion ($83 billion) market crash within 48 hours.
Date: May 12, 2025 – Source: The News
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a transformative force in various sectors, and its implications for national security cannot be overstated. AI offers a promising avenue to enhance national security capabilities for Pakistan, a country with unique security challenges and geopolitical complexities.
PTA blocks Indian websites, social media channels for sharing ‘anti-Pakistan’ propaganda
Date: May 13, 2025 – Source: Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced that it had blocked 16 Indian YouTube channels, 31 YouTube video links, and 32 websites for spreading false information and ‘anti-Pakistan’ propaganda.
Pakistan’s cyberspace blitz humbles India’s air force
Date: May 15, 2025 – Source: Dawn
In the early hours of May 6, a silent aerial clash unfolded between India and Pakistan, redefining the landscape of modern warfare. Gone were the dogfights of old – replaced by electronic jamming, satellite disruption, and beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles. That night, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) emerged not just victorious, but as a reengineered, multi-domain force wielding cyber and space technologies.
SECP issues cybersecurity alert amid rising geopolitical tensions
Date: May 17, 2025 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Express Tribune, Source 3: Pakistan Today
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) issued a cybersecurity advisory, urging all companies to strengthen their cybersecurity measures in response to heightened geopolitical tensions and an increasingly complex threat landscape.
Pakistan’s digital governance dilemma
Date: May 18, 2025 – Source: The News
The formation of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) offers hope for a more specialized response to cyber threats. But to truly protect citizens’ digital rights, the state must develop a rights-based digital governance framework.
Pakistani experts aim to promote cybersecurity
Date: May 18, 2025 – Source: Express Tribune
Technology experts, strategists and information technology (IT) companies vowed to promote Pakistan as one of the leading cybersecurity solution providers after it played an instrumental role in getting an edge over India during the recent conventional war against India.
Date: May 25, 2025 – Source: The News
The collapse of Treasure NFT, a digital investment scam that defrauded over 80,000 Pakistanis depriving them of up to Rs5 billion, underscores the urgent need for greater digital literacy, regulatory oversight and caution in the rapidly evolving world of crypto-currency and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs).
Pakistani users able to access X after brief global disruption
Date: May 25, 2025 – Source: Dawn
Following a mass but brief global outage suffered by social media platform X, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) confirmed that users of the platform in Pakistan were now able to access their accounts.
Pakistan records second lowest web threat rate in META region
Date: May 25, 2025 – Source 1: Express Tribune, Source 2: Pakistan Today, Source 3: Daily Times
Pakistan recorded the second lowest share of users attacked by web-borne threats in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META) region during the first quarter of 2025, according to a report released by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky.
CERT issues advisory after massive data theft
Date: May 27, 2025 – Source 1: Express Tribune, Source 2: Pakistan Today
Pakistan’s National Cyber Emergency Response Team (CERT) issued an advisory following a massive theft involving passwords and sensitive information of over 180 million users worldwide. The breach affected major platforms including Google, Facebook, Apple, Instagram, and Snapchat.
How social media lies fueled a rush to war between India and Pakistan
Date: May 28, 2025 – Source: The Guardian
India’s mainstream media, which have already suffered a major loss of credibility owing to their heavy pro-government stance, are facing difficult questions. Some prominent anchorpersons have issued apologies for airing unverified information primarily fueled by social media’s war hysteria.
Legal remedies for victims of online humiliation
Date: May 29, 2025 – Source: Dawn
According to Aqsa Javed, a Lahore-based advocate, any aggrieved person whose videos are posted online without their consent can invoke Article 14 of the Constitution guaranteeing the right to dignity and privacy and Section 166 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) 1860, which addresses a public servant disobeying the law with intent to cause injury.
Date: May 30, 2025 – Source: Dawn
We live in times of instant humiliation. In a toxic online setting, civility is a tall order and anyone is fair game. A cyber harassment horror has been unfolding in Kasur where 55 men and women were arrested from what police say was an illegal “rave” party. Their videos were recorded in a local police station and published on social media.
NADRA to deactivate SIM cards linked to expired or fake identity cards
Date: May 31, 2025 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: The News, Source 3: Pakistan Today
The federal government directed the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to suspend SIM cards registered with expired national identity cards (CNICs), starting with those linked to CNICs issued in 2017 or before in the initial phase.
SECTION 4: Digitalization
- Digitalization in governance sectors / e-governance
- Digitalization in social and development sectors
- Digitalization in business and commercial sectors
Prime Minister assures full support to foreign IT investors
Date: May 1, 2025 – Source: Dawn
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed the federal government’s support for foreign information technology (IT) investors, highlighting Pakistan’s vision of becoming a regional hub for technology, finance and innovation.
Islamabad’s digital car parking project faces corruption allegation
Date: May 1, 2025 – Source: Dawn
The digital car parking project launched in the federal capital is facing corruption allegations as the Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) formed an inquiry committee to examine the tendering process and fee collection mechanism.
Pakistan launches first national platform for climate tech startups
Date: May 1, 2025 – Source 1: The News, Source 2: Business Recorder (BR)
Amid intensifying climate challenges, Renewables First and New Energy Nexuslaunched Climate Innovation Pakistan (CLIP) – the nation’s first platform dedicated to fast-tracking indigenous climate tech solutions.
Pakistan’s IT sector eyes $15 billion boom as DDIF spurs momentum
Date: May 1, 2025 – Source: Express Tribune
Federal Information Technology (IT) Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to fast-track digital transformation at the Digital Direct Investment Forum (DDIF). She underscored robust gains in technology exports and rising investor confidence.
E-waste recycling plan unveiled
Date: May 1, 2025 – Source: Express Tribune
The federal government’s Technology Upgradation and Skill Development Company (TUSDEC) unveiled its strategy for an Electronic Waste (E-Waste) Metal Recycling project in Gujranwala, aimed at addressing environmental challenge.
Pakistani firm launches AI system to automate cross border trade
Date: May 2, 2025 – Source 1: Express Tribune, Source 2: Pakistan Today
Pakistani technology firm Galaxefi unveiled AI Faceless Operations, an automated system to modernize and digitize cross-border trade. The platform targets deep-rooted inefficiencies in a sector losing an estimated $36 billion annually due to antiquated, paper-based processes.
Why Pakistan’s public sector cannot afford to miss the AI revolution
Date: May 3, 2025 – Source: The News
Public sector productivity is a global challenge, but in Pakistan, service delivery remains exceptionally inefficient and costly. Unlike Pakistan, developed economies – despite higher expenditures – tend to achieve far greater efficiency.
Date: May 4, 2025 – Source: The News
Lively debate and open disagreement have long been pillars of a thriving intellectual culture – undeniably true. Yet, one cannot ignore the looming presence of artificial intelligence (AI), casting a shadow over genuine academic discourse. The question remains: when, if ever, will we return to an era where spirited dialogue is not overshadowed by technological unease?
Will AI work with our demographic dividend?
Date: May 5, 2025 – Source: Dawn
For years, Pakistan’s investment narrative has hinged on its demographic dividend – an overwhelmingly young, tech-savvy population seen as both a vast consumer base and a reservoir of talent. This premise carries weight, positioning the country as a potential digital workhouse. Yet, underlying structural challenges continue to temper that optimism with caution.
Micro-dosing insurance with technology and telecommunication
Date: May 5, 2025 – Source: Dawn
For many Pakistanis, insurance feels alien – perceived as largely irrelevant. Yet this disconnect carries consequences: with coverage reaching only 3 per cent of the population and penetration at just 0.87 per cent of GDP in 2022, millions remain dangerously unprotected.
PTA’s failure to whitelist over 10,000 seized phones halts auctions
Date: May 5, 2025 – Source 1: The News, Source 2: Pakistan Today
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has yet to whitelist over 10,000 mobile handsets, despite repeated requests from the Customs Department (CD), stalling their auction and preventing activation under the Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS).
Can Pakistan seize its digital moment?
Date: May 5, 2025 – Source: Express Tribune
After gaining global acclaim for its solar energy shift, Pakistan is now emerging as a formidable player in the digital economy. Crowned “Tech Destination of the Year” at GITEX Global 2024, it reinforced this recognition by co-hosting the inaugural Digital Foreign Direct Investment (DFDI) conference alongside the Saudi-led Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO).
Crypto: Revolution or rising bubble?
Date: May 5, 2025 – Source: Express Tribune
This is not a black-and-white narrative – it’s both a revolution and a bubble. While segments of the crypto world will collapse under the weight of speculation and excess, others will adapt and thrive. Propelled by innovators in transformative technology, the enduring core continues to push boundaries and reshape the future.
MoU signed to digitize Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s police services
Date: May 6, 2025 – Source: Dawn
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board (KPITB) and the province’s police department signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for digitization of various public services.
Pakistan’s data center industry eyes regional growth amid regulatory challenges
Date: May 6, 2025 – Source: The News
Pakistan’s data center industry is growing rapidly, with strong potential to provide high-speed connectivity and data colocation services to Central Asian countries, supporting their digital transformation and economic progress.
GSMA urges Pakistan to cut telecommunication taxes to enhance affordability and sector growth
Date: May 6, 2025 – Source 1: Express Tribune, Source 2: Pakistan Today
The GSM Association (GSMA), a body of cellular services operators, called upon Pakistan’s federal government to reduce taxes and fees in the telecommunication industry in the upcoming budget 2025-26.
Punjab readies online auction system for cattle markets
Date: May 7, 2025 – Source 1: The News, Source 2: Express Tribune
The Punjab Cattle Market Management and Development Company (PCMDC) is set to oversee the implementation of a new e-auction system to bring all 112 registered cattle markets in the province under a unified digital auction platform.
Challenges to education sector in AI era
Date: May 7, 2025 – Source: Express Tribune
Artificial intelligence (AI) holds the power to transform the education industry. Yet, this evolution brings complex challenges that demand thoughtful navigation. AI promises to personalize learning, streamline processes, and boost student engagement, but it also raises concerns around equity and ethics.
Speakers call for ethical, transparent AI use in Pakistan
Date: May 9, 2025 – Source: Dawn
The participants of a stakeholders’ dialogue in Islamabad emphasized necessity for artificial intelligence (AI) systems in Pakistan to be transparent, inclusive, and particularly sensitive to the rights of vulnerable communities.
Technology experts seek alternative payment channels
Date: May 11, 2025 – Source: Express Tribune
Technology experts and stakeholders urged the federal government to continue its facilitation for digital entrepreneurs and freelancers and provide them facilities for funding transactions in terms of international payment gateways or alternative payment channels.
Astronaut mission – Pakistan set sights on stars
Date: May 12, 2025 – Source 1: Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), Source 2: Express Tribune
In a milestone that marks a new chapter in Pakistan’s scientific evolution, the nation is preparing to send its very first astronaut into space – an achievement once seemed a distant dream, now transforming into a tangible reality.
IT body, venture capital firm ink $100 million pact
Date: May 13, 2025 – Source 1: Express Tribune, Source 2: Pakistan Today
The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) and sAi Venture Capital signed a strategic partnership aimed at mobilizing $100 million to boost Pakistan’s business-to-business (B2B) technology exports.
Government to digitally track fuel supply, curb smuggling
Date: May 14, 2025 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Pakistan Today
The federal government introduced a bill in the National Assembly (NA) aimed at digitally tracking petroleum products from import and production to retail sales in a bid to curb smuggling and adulteration, which cause revenue losses estimated at Rs300-500 billion annually.
Government exploring options to bring online shopping into tax net
Date: May 14, 2025 – Source 1: The News, Source 2: Pakistan Today
The federal government is weighing strategies to incorporate e-commerce into the tax framework in the 2025-2026 fiscal budget. Various approaches are being considered to harness revenue from this largely untaxed sector, which has become a staple of consumer habits among households.
NADRA rolls out digital birth, death notification tools on healthcare facilities
Date: May 15, 2025 – Source 1: Radio Pakistan (RP), Source 2: Dawn
Advancing the federal government’s Udaan Pakistan initiative for digital transformation, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), in collaboration with provincial governments, rolled out the deployment of digital birth and death notification tools in healthcare facilities nationwide.
Applicants suffer as LDA’s online building plan system shut for 10 days
Date: May 15, 2025 – Source: The News
Hundreds of citizens faced inconvenience after the Lahore Development Authority’s (LDA) online building plan approval system collapsed for 10 days, the second time during the past several months.
Ghost workers push railways to install biometric system
Date: May 16, 2025 – Source: Dawn
Keeping in view the ghost workers in the existing manpower, the Pakistan Railways (PR) decided to install a biometric system in collaboration with the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) to disburse salaries only to genuine employees.
Pakistan’s IT exports increase to $3.5 billion in 10 months
Date: May 19, 2025 – Source: Dawn
Minister of State for Information Technology (IT) Shaza Fatima Khawaja said that IT exports, including earnings from freelancers and IT companies, reached over $3.5 billion between July 2024 and April 2025, with IT services alone accounting for $3.14 billion.
Most political parties off the digital radar
Date: May 19, 2025 – Source: Express Tribune
Despite increasing digital engagement in Pakistan, nearly two-thirds, 58 out of 166, of Pakistan’s political parties lack a fully functional website, revealed a report by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).
Speaker criticizes parliament’s IT wing over delay in digitalization
Date: May 20, 2025 – Source 1: The News, Source 2: Digital Rights Monitor (DRM)
National Assembly (NA) speaker Ayaz Sadiq criticized the Information Technology Department of the NA Secretariat for failing to complete the digitalization process, despite a decade having passed since its initiation.
Date: May 20, 2025 – Source: The News
Not bothering to maintain a party website in the 21st century is a pretty blunt way of telling the people that you do not care about them. And for those political parties actually going through the trouble of maintaining a website, few are actually working to make sure that the sites contain useful information.
Prime Minister briefed on FBR’s plan of digital freight tracking
Date: May 21, 2025 – Source 1: Radio Pakistan (RP), Source 2: Dawn, Source 3: Express Tribune
A meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was briefed about the Federal Bureau of Revenue’s (FBR) plans to introduce digital tracking of freight vehicles to prevent sales tax evasion and curb smuggling.
IT reforms sought to halt talent exodus
Date: May 21, 2025 – Source: Express Tribune
Pakistan’s information technology (IT) sector stakeholders warned the federal government that companies will shift to other countries if favorable policies were not introduced and changes made in the existing tax regime.
Pakistan approves authority to regulate, accelerate growth of virtual assets economy
Date: May 22, 2025 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Express Tribune, Source 3: Arab News
The federal government announced the establishment of Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA) to regulate and accelerate the virtual asset economy in compliance with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) safeguards.
Sindh government goes digital to combat pollution
Date: May 22, 2025 – Source: Express Tribune
The Sindh government decided to introduce a Smart Surveillance System to monitor and mitigate environmental pollution, as announced by the provincial Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Department.
Supreme Court allows live-streaming of reserved seats review case
Date: May 23, 2025 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: The News, Source 3: Business Recorder (BR)
Live streaming proceedings in the reserved seats case was allowed by the Supreme Court’s (SC) Constitutional Bench, while directives were issued to the court’s information technology (IT) department to make necessary arrangements.
Government launches FGEHA’s digital services package
Date: May 23, 2025 – Source 1: Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), Source 2: Dawn
The Ministry of Housing and Works launched a digital services package for the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA). The initiative encompasses a suite of advanced tools, including the digitization of land and Built-up Property (BuP) records and a user-friendly mobile application.
Date: May 23, 2025 – Source: The News
By developing local expertise, Pakistan can establish a full aerospace supply chain – from raw materials to advanced components. Strategic investment in composites, additive manufacturing, and engineering can reduce foreign reliance, boost national security, and enable development of indigenous aircraft.
Islamabad to get AI-powered crime watch system
Date: May 23, 2025 – Source: Express Tribune
Security agencies claimed that no criminal entering the federal capital would be able to evade the vigilant gaze of the Safe City surveillance program, with the project set to be bolstered with the installation 3,200 artificial intelligence-powered facial recognition capabilities.
Sindh to form AI task force for unified innovation
Date: May 23, 2025 – Source 1: Express Tribune, Source 2: Pakistan Today, Source 3: Daily Times
Artificial intelligence (AI) experts in Karachi, along with professionals from key sectors including science and technology, health, and education, agreed to collaborate and share expertise to promote AI use and innovation within their sectors.
Crypto council chief rebuts India’s accusations of swaying global powers
Date: May 24, 2025 – Source: The News
Head of Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) Bilal Bin Saqib pushed back against Indian claims that Pakistan was using its growing digital finance presence to sway global powers, calling such outreach “diplomacy, not influence” while reaffirming the council’s commitment to empower young professionals.
Pakistan ready for AI in governance?
Date: May 24, 2025 – Source 1: The News, Source 2: Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI)
As Pakistan edges toward a digital future, the question is no longer if artificial intelligence (AI) can be integrated into governance, but whether it will be done with ethical foresight, democratic accountability, and institutional readiness.
Pakistan’s first power equipment dashboard unveiled to boost manufacturing industry
Date: May 25, 2025 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Pakistan Today
Pakistan unveiled its first Power Equipment Manufacturing Dashboard (PEMD), a real-time digital tool designed to monitor localization progress, assess vendor capacity, and identify strategic investment opportunities under the Power Sector Indigenization Plan (PSIP).
Digital mapping of Karachi’s uplift schemes ordered
Date: May 25, 2025 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: The News
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab ordered the digital mapping of ongoing development schemes in the metropolitan city to ensure transparency and public accessibility.
Zong launches local AI-powered cloud platform
Date: May 25, 2025 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Pakistan Today
Telecommunications operator Zong launched its locally-hosted cloud platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, boosting the cloud ecosystem in Pakistan. The platform features enterprise-grade performance and security with low-latency features.
Government allocates 2,000MW power for crypto mining, AI data centers
Date: May 26, 2025 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: The News, Source 3: Express Tribune
The Government of Pakistan announced the allocation of 2,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity in the first phase of a national initiative to power Bitcoin mining and artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.
Bilal Bin Saqib made Prime Minister’s aide on crypto, blockchain
Date: May 27, 2025 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Express Tribune, Source 3: Arab News
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appointed Bilal Bin Saqib as his special assistant on blockchain and crypto currency, positioning Pakistan among a handful of nations, including the United States, the United Arab Emirates and El Salvador, which have dedicated blockchain and cryptocurrency leadership.
Technology to make justice faster, fairer, opines Chief Justice
Date: May 27, 2025 – Source: The News
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi said that the integration of technology into the justice system was not simply a matter of modernization – it is essential to making courts more accessible, transparent and efficient for the people they serve.
Digital livestock markets thrive as Eid-ul-Azha nears
Date: May 27, 2025 – Source: Express Tribune
As Eid-ul-Azha approaches, online marketplaces and applications are witnessing a significant surge in demand for sacrificial animals. Many Pakistanis are opting for digital platforms to purchase these animals, taking advantage of the convenience and accessibility offered by these digital services.
Government plans curbs, incentives to push cashless economy
Date: May 28, 2025 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Pakistan Today, Source 3: Digital Pakistan (DP)
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurungzeb reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to transitioning Pakistan towards a cashless economy, unveiling plans to introduce new measures aimed at expanding digital payment systems and curbing reliance on cash transactions.
Date: May 28, 2025 – Source: The News
To use artificial intelligence (AI) against corruption, Pakistan must digitize records, ensure system interoperability and promote open data standards. Transparency is also critical; AI algorithms and decision-making processes should be accessible for scrutiny to prevent misuse of manipulation.
PAFLA, SIFC sign deal to assist freelancers
Date: May 29, 2025 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Pakistan Today
The Pakistan Freelancers Association (PAFLA) and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) signed an agreement to establish co-working spaces for more than 50,000 freelancers every year across Pakistan.
Date: May 29, 2025 – Source: Dawn
Some sort of crypto bug seems to have gripped the government and perhaps some of it is warranted. From the details reported in the international media we learn that at least some of the efforts of the Pakistani government in the crypto domain are geared towards procuring influence in Washington.
Crypto policy in disarray as SBP, ministry insist ban is still place
Date: May 30, 2025 – Source: Dawn
Amid growing official promotion of Bitcoin adoption, both the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Ministry of Finance said that cryptocurrency remains banned in the country and all its transactions are illegal under current regulations.
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OBJECTIVES: This series of monthly report aims to:
- Track developments revolving around the framework of digitalization in Pakistan including policy and advocacy on digital rights, policy enforcements and digital rights violations, covering viewpoints of government, civil society, human rights community including digital rights campaigners, media, citizen journalists and other information practitioners, and regulators of electronic media, internet and telecom sectors, and netizens.
- Monitor the interface between digital rights and Pakistan’s overall legal framework and how developments around them impact freedom of expression and access to information online as well as diversity and pluralism in Pakistan’s digital landscape, cyberspace and internet domains.
- Follow developments around the themes of digital rights, freedom of expression, access to information, privacy, surveillance, data protection, access to internet services, telecom policies, etc.
INFORMATION SOURCES: This report monitors, among others, the following sources of information:
- Government: Federal and provincial cabinets
- Ministries: Related ministries, including Information and Broadcasting, Information Technology (IT) and Telecom, Human Rights, Science and Technology, Commerce and Industry, etc.
- Legislatures: Senate, National Assembly, provincial assemblies, relevant standing committees
- Regulators: Pakistan telecommunications Authority (PTA), Pakistan Electronic Media regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Press Council of Pakistan (PPC), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), etc.
- Global organizations: UN/Unesco, International Media Support (IMS), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Amnesty International (AI), Human Rights Watch (HRW), etc.
- National organizations: Digital Rights Foundation (DRF), BoloBhi, Media Matters for Democracy (MMFD), Institute for Research, Advocacy and Development (IRADA), Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), etc.
- Media: Dawn, The News, Express Tribune, The Nation, Pakistan Today, The Friday Times, etc.
- Social Media:Facebook, Twitter, etc.
- Local networks: Journalists Safety Hubs Network, Alliance on Diversity & Pluralism in Media, etc.
- Research groups: Gallup Pakistan, IPSOS Pakistan, etc.
