PM Shehbaz unveils PSDP data portal for transparent governance

Islamabad:Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has inaugurated the PSDP Data Portal, enabling Transparent Governance.

He inaugurated the portal at the Pakistan Governance Forum 2026 in Islamabad today.

Addressing the forum, Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the need to adopt whole of government approach to enhance exports. He said per unit electricity prices reduced by around nine rupees, where efforts should be made to check electricity theft of 200 billion rupees through the whole of government approach.

The Prime Minister said Utility Stores and Pakistan Works Department have been completely closed to prevent leakages. He said a direct subsidy of 38 billion rupees was provided to deserving families across Pakistan through digital wallets this Ramazan.

Shehbaz Sharif also stressed the need to reduce direct taxation in the upcoming budget to facilitate the business community. He said pilferage in the sales tax should be avoided. He said the government believes in facilitating the business community as it is not meant for doing business.

Addressing the Forum, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal said international financial institutions and rating agencies are now citing Pakistan's economic transformation as a successful case study.

He credited the current government with preventing national bankruptcy through significant governance and reforms.

He emphasized that governance is the central pillar of the government's "Uraan Pakistan" transformational agenda.

Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan possesses the potential to reach a 1 trillion dollar economy by 2035 if the nation utilizes its full capabilities.

He called upon all sectors of society to shift its focus on an "Economic Long March" rather than political marches.

The Minister explained PSDP Data Portal will serve as an open and transparent source, allowing the public to monitor progress and developments within the national development sector. The portal is aimed to ensure transparent governance. 

Addressing the forum, Resident Representative of UNDP Samuel Rizk said governance is not only a technical discussion, but a strategic choice about the future. He said sustaining livelihoods and managing the cost of living, building resilience to floods, droughts and heat waves, creating opportunities for young people entering the workforce and increasing confidence in public institutions revolve around good governance. He said good, inclusive and transparent governance is now accepted as a necessary condition for sustainable development.

British High Commissioner to Pakistan Ms. Jane Marriott, in her remarks, commended Pakistan's focus on sustaining economic reform, including how to build a coherent export strategy. She said governance lowers costs and builds confidence and opportunities amongst citizens and investors. Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Justice retired Yar Mohammad said digital governance is emerging as a transformative reform in Gilgit-Baltistan. He said GB civil secretariat is fully operational at each office with an integrated system for case management, asset tracking, biometric attendance and district monitoring, enhancing transparency, accountability and evidence-based decision-making.

He added that the region is poised to become a model of climate resilience, growth, digital governance and sustainable tourism, contributing to Pakistan's national development.

Advisor to Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muzammil Aslam said his province has completed a five-year digitalisation plan in less than one year. He added that 170 government services have been identified for digitalization, while56 services are already fully digitalized and 73 services now offer electronic payment options.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said Udaan Pakistan represents a clear direction for national reform. He said the government is committed to improve governance in a practical and coordinated way. He said economic growth requires investor confidence and investors need clear laws. It requires protection of rights and rights must be enforceable. Energy reforms require proper regulatory systems, while environmental protection needs strong legal enforcement. Similarly, Digital Pakistan requires secure and transparent systems and this is why legal reform is not separate from governance reform.

Azam Nazeer Tarar highlighted that legal reforms are an important part of the reform agenda of the Federal Government. He said the government has improved access to laws through the Pakistan Code, where over 900 updated and consolidated federal laws are available online and free of cost.He said legislative history of 176 years has been digitized through the document retrieval system. He said his ministry has introduced the case assignment and management systems, which now manage thousands of federal cases. Akram