Pakistan is advancing its digital public offerings by shortlisting 10 key services for complete online rollout. Authorities have already tested a pilot citizen portal as part of the $78 million Digital Economy Enhancement Project backed by the World Bank.

For citizens, this shift aims to cut down long queues at state offices, reduce lost paperwork, and speed up processing times for select public services.

Who Is Running Pakistan Digital Government Services

The National Information Technology Board and the National Database and Registration Authority are spearheading efforts to simplify access to public services and improve secure data sharing across state bodies.

According to a document from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, the plan seeks to offer citizens a single digital gateway for state services rather than requiring separate portals for each department.

This falls under the broader Digital Nation Pakistan framework. Officials noted that 130 public services have been digitised through this initiative so far, with the 10 newly chosen services arriving via the DEEP project.

What DEEP Is Building for Citizens

One Login for Everything

The project integrates Single Sign-On with the National Data Exchange Layer. This system connects services so users can log in once and gain recognition across all linked state platforms without making separate accounts.

The Pak App

The Pak App is available on Android and iOS devices. Pakistan recorded over Rs3.27 billion in government payments through the PAK App in July 2026 as digital transactions for public services and vehicle taxes increased.

Current offerings on the app include utility bill payments, domicile certificates, birth and death certificates, vehicle verification, driving licence checks, and marriage appointment requests. The National Information Technology Board plans to integrate more departments over time.

Your Digital ID Vault

The system also features a digital identity mechanism and the PakID Vault. Six official documents are accessible in digital vaults through the Pak App.

The Digital Vault, reached via the PakID application, supports seven verifiable credentials, including family registration documents, vehicle registration papers, vaccination certificates, and digital national ID cards. Users share a unique QR code instead of files, allowing recipients to verify details directly from the official source.

How the $78 Million Is Being Spent

Financed by the World Bank, DEEP seeks to upgrade public services and reinforce digital infrastructure in Pakistan. Project Management Units and Implementing Units were set up to build systems enabling secure data exchange between state institutions.

While the business-facing Pakistan Business Portal has faced delays, the citizen services layer, the Pak App, the PakID Vault, and the shortlisting of 10 new services continue to advance.

Punjab's separate digitisation efforts are designed to connect with this national framework so provincial services can eventually plug into the shared citizen portal.

Why This Matters, and What Is Still Missing

Smartphone adoption in Pakistan rose from 62 percent in 2024 to 72 percent by June 2026, while 5.1 million households received fixed broadband or fiber connections by the same date.

Despite this, the digital divide persists. The Pakistan Digital Authority noted that only 40% of Pakistanis had stable internet access as of December 2025, leaving many rural residents unable to use online state services.

The administration must also finalise broader reforms, such as an enterprise architecture, a cybersecurity roadmap, and a data governance framework.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif instructed all federal ministries to complete data digitisation within set deadlines and submit the information to the central platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DEEP project in Pakistan?

DEEP is the Digital Economy Enhancement Project, a $78 million World Bank-funded initiative to modernise public services and create a single access platform. It is run by the National Information Technology Board and the National Database and Registration Authority.

What can I do on the Pak App right now?

Users can pay vehicle token taxes, utility bills, and registration fees, obtain domicile, birth, and death certificates, verify vehicles and driving licences, book marriage appointments, and store official documents in a digital ID vault.

Which 10 government services have been shortlisted?

The government confirmed 10 services were shortlisted for full digital delivery under DEEP, though a complete detailed list has not yet been published.

Is my data safe on PakID and the Pak App?

Registration requires scanning your face and fingerprints via your phone camera, which matches against the central database in real-time, preventing unauthorised use if a device is stolen. However, a comprehensive national cybersecurity framework is still under development.