Govt to dissolve National Information Technology Board
Pakistan
Pakistan Digital Authority will be finalised within week
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The Ministry of Information Technology is working on implementing the recommendations of the federal government's Rightsizing Committee.
According to documents, the ministry has decided to dissolve its subsidiary, the National Information Technology Board (NITB). The Rightsizing Committee's proposal suggests that IT equipment and software procurement will now be conducted through a procurement agency.
The documents revealed that 17 positions within the Ministry of IT and Telecom had been abolished. Moreover, such posts have been identified as “dying cadres,” meaning no new recruitment will be made for these positions after 2026. This restructuring is expected to save approximately Rs25 million annually.
As per the Rightsizing Committee's report, the structure of the National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) has been reduced by 50pc. Ignite will remain operational, but a third-party evaluation of its performance will be conducted.
The performance of the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) will also be reviewed, with a report to be submitted to the prime minister within three months. Furthermore, overlaps between the PSEB and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) will be studied.
The documents also state that consultants have been engaged to address issues related to Ignite, PSEB, and NTC.
A draft bill for the establishment of the Pakistan Digital Authority will be finalised within a week after consultations with stakeholders.
Once finalised, the draft bill will be presented to the National Assembly for approval. Meanwhile, the Virtual University is placed under the administrative control of the Federal Ministry of Education.
