Cabinet approves E-Safety, Personal Data Protection Bills 2023

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Wednesday approved the E-Safety Bill 2023 on the recommendation of the Ministry of Information Technology (IT) to protect user data and prevent illegal use of information systems.

Under this law, a comprehensive framework will be established to ensure the protection and unauthorised use of user data on all types of online services, online shopping, data provided to various companies, and social networking websites in Pakistan. After the approval of the bill, heinous crimes like online harassment, cyberbullying, and blackmail will be effectively prevented, the official news agency reported.

The meeting of the cabinet was held with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in chair.

The federal cabinet also approved in principle the Personal Data Protection Bill 2023 on the recommendation of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication.

Under this bill, the government will ensure the security of the user’s personal information/data of various organisations and companies and prohibit sharing of the user’s information/data with any company, individual, or government organisation without their permission.

Under the law, the National Commission for Personal Data Protection (NCPDP) will be established which will act as a civil court to protect the private documents/data of the users and redress the grievances of the complainants.

The federal cabinet also gave assent to the draft amendment bill of the Investment Board Ordinance 2001 for the promotion of foreign investment in Pakistan.

The amendment will empower the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) as well as lay down its basic structure, working procedures, and cooperation mechanisms with various ministries and provincial governments.

After the law is passed, the SIFC will ensure the speedy implementation of foreign investment projects in the country.

PM Shehbaz said the government was implementing the Whole of the Government Policy to promote foreign direct investment in the country.

The policy would help expedite the implementation process of the projects under foreign investment.

The prime minister appreciated Minister of State for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik for his successful efforts in finalising the liquefied natural gas (LNG) agreement with Azerbaijan.

“This agreement is not only an important step forward to promote bilateral trade ties with Azerbaijan but it will also prove to be a milestone for the energy security of Pakistan,” he added.

The federal cabinet, on the recommendation of the Ministry of Anti-Narcotics, established a ministerial committee under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif to finalise the contents of the National Cannabis Policy.

In this regard, the committee will present its recommendation to the federal committee in the next meeting.

The federal cabinet approved the reorganisation of accountability courts on the recommendation of the Ministry of Law and Justice, under which 11 accountability courts will be changed into seven banking courts, two intellectual tribunals, a special court central, and a special court in Balochistan. This restructuring will not incur any additional costs.

The federal cabinet also approved the reorganisation of the Board of Directors of Sui Northern Gas Pipeline (SNGPL) besides approving the appointment of members of the selection committee of Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority.

The federal cabinet approved the National Adaptation Plan 2023 on the recommendation of the Ministry of Climate Change. Under the plan, the government, along with other partners, will take measures to protect climate-prone communities from the adverse effects of climate change.

On the recommendation of the Ministry of Climate Change, the federal cabinet approved to refer the Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wild Life Management Act, 2023 to the cabinet committee on legislative cases (CCLC) for the protection of wildlife and natural assets in Islamabad.

The federal cabinet approved the inclusion and removal of names in the exit control list (ECL) on the recommendation of the Ministry of Interior.

Furthermore, the cabinet also approved the order that if the reason for the inclusion of the names in the passport control list and the exit control list is the same, then the name will be removed from the exit control list along with the name from the passport control list.

The cabinet also gave assent to the decisions taken in the meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee held on July 24. The meeting approved the decisions taken in the meetings of the cabinet committee on legislative cases held on July 6, 7, 21 and 25. The federal cabinet approved the decisions made by the cabinet committees on privatisation, and inter-governmental transactions separately held on July 10.