ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has planned to establish a National Digital Commission to ensure digitization of its economy and paperless governance, Pakistani state media reported on Sunday, citing State Minister for Information Technology (IT) Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
Pakistan, which faced an economic meltdown in recent months, made rigorous efforts to introduce structural reforms under a $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, which ended in April and helped the South Asian country avert a sovereign default last year.
In May, Pakistan signed an agreement with McKinsey and Company for the digitalization of its tax collection system after the IMF suggested strengthening public finances, broadening the existing tax base and privatizing loss-making state enterprises as part of reforms.
Khawaja said the new commission would be headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif keeping its importance in view, the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“It will not only improve governance and tax collection efficiency but it will also smooth the inter-ministerial coordination,” she was quoted as saying.
The minister said paperless governance was “vital” to speed up the government operations and it would help remove procedural bottlenecks.
In July, Pakistan reached a staff-level agreement with the IMF for a new $7 billion loan deal, aimed at strengthening fiscal and monetary policy as well as reforms to broaden the tax base, strengthen competition, secure a level playing field for investment, enhance human capital, and scale up social protection through increased generosity and coverage in a major welfare program.
Pakistan wants to collect 13 trillion rupees ($44 billion) in taxes — 40 percent more than the last fiscal year — according to Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. The government also aims to increase the number of taxpayers from a meager 5 million.
Pakistan plans to establish National Digital Commission to digitize economy, improve governance
https://arab.news/4vw2v
Pakistan plans to establish National Digital Commission to digitize economy, improve governance
- Pakistan made rigorous efforts to introduce structural reforms under its last IMF program that ended in April
- The lender has suggested broadening the tax base and better financial management under a new $7 billion deal
Pakistan’s finance chief heads to Riyadh to highlight climate funding priorities at global summit
- Muhammad Aurangzeb will join high-level talks on securing capital for climate adaptation and resilience
- The visit includes bilateral meetings with senior Saudi officials to deepen bilateral economic cooperation
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb left for Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to attend the Global Development Finance Conference in Riyadh, said an official statement, where he will present Islamabad’s perspective on climate adaptation and financing.
Pakistan is among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, grappling with recurrent floods, heatwaves and rising adaptation costs that far exceed its domestic resources.
Last month, while addressing COP30 in Brazil via video link, Aurangzeb urged reforms to global climate-finance mechanisms, arguing the Green Climate Fund was mired in “bureaucracy” and the Loss and Damage Fund had made little progress four years after its launch.
The finance division said the minister had departed for Riyadh to take part in the conference, a three-day gathering focused on new development-finance models.
“During the conference, Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb will participate in a high-level session on climate adaptation and resilience, where he will join global leaders in discussing how developing countries can secure the capital needed to address climate vulnerabilities,” the statement said.
“His participation will highlight Pakistan’s priorities in climate finance and the government’s efforts to strengthen economic resilience in the face of global environmental challenges,” it added.
Aurangzeb is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with senior Saudi officials, including leadership of the National Development Fund and the Ministry of Finance, to discuss development financing, investment opportunities and broader economic cooperation.
The statement said he will give interviews to international media outlets such as CNN and CGTN to outline Pakistan’s reform trajectory and development-finance needs.
The finance chief will additionally meet Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in Riyadh to review ongoing economic diplomacy initiatives.
The Global Development Finance Conference, organized under the patronage of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, aims to bring together more than 100 speakers from over 120 international and regional organizations.
The conference is positioned as a key platform within Vision 2030 to accelerate innovative financing models and support countries seeking sustainable growth amid rising global climate and development pressures.
