Government Finds Alternative to Protect Citizens’ Data Despite Personal Data Protection Bill Delay

Safeguarding data collected through the Islamabad household survey has emerged as a major challenge, prompting the government to implement an alternative protection framework despite the Personal Data Protection Bill delay.

According to official documents presented before Parliament, Pakistan currently lacks a standalone law dedicated to data protection. In response, authorities have devised an interim mechanism to ensure the security and confidentiality of citizens’ information.

Government Finds Alternative to Protect Citizens’ Data Despite Personal Data Protection Bill Delay

The Ministry of Interior has formally entrusted the responsibility of securing household survey data to the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). The documents state that all collected data is legally protected under Sections 28, 29, and 30 of the NADRA Ordinance 2000.

Under this framework, access to data is strictly controlled and cannot be granted without a defined and legitimate purpose. Ensuring data security, confidentiality, and privacy is described as mandatory.

Officials maintain that the NADRA Ordinance provides a comprehensive, enforceable, and autonomous system for data security and governance. It includes strict penalties for violations: data leaks, unauthorized access, disclosure, or theft can result in imprisonment of up to 14 years. Any tampering with citizens’ data is classified as a serious offense against the state.

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Furthermore, NADRA is bound to comply with national cybersecurity standards issued by the National CERT and has implemented the Pakistan Security Standards Framework. The Islamabad Household Survey application itself is built on a multi-layered defense model.

Security measures include web application firewalls, CDN-based Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) protection, and continuous monitoring through a 24/7 Security Operations Center. Additionally, end-to-end encryption has been ensured for both data transmission and storage.

To further strengthen safeguards, laws related to the prevention of electronic crimes are also in effect, reinforcing the legal and technical protections surrounding citizens’ data.