The 2025 National Privacy Conference was organized on Wednesday to address critical issues surrounding voter data privacy and the state of data protection legislation in Pakistan.

The event was hosted by the Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) to jointly mark global Data Protection Day and launch its latest research paper on voter data privacy in Pakistan.

Policymakers, academics, digital rights experts, civil society organizations, political party representatives and other key stakeholders came together to discuss the urgency of adequate data protection laws and regulatory infrastructure. This, they maintained, was significant, especially in a country ambitious to digitize its economy, but still vulnerable to significant data breaches and Internet disruptions.

The conference began with opening remarks from DRF Executive Director Nighat Dad, who stated that “the right to privacy is about more than just the unchecked exchange of personal data… [it] is about public trust, mutual respect, informed consent, and shaping a future that prioritizes citizens’ safety in both online and offline spaces”.

The conference’s keynote speaker, Saroop Ijaz, senior counsel (Asia) for the Human Rights Watch, noted, “There is a normalization of infringement of privacy in today’s world whereby you have to bargain your privacy in return for safety. But this is a false binary: when you trade in privacy, it does not make you more secure.”

The first panel discussion, titled 'Voter Data Privacy Research: Insights from DRF’s 2024 General Elections Study', delved into DRF’s research paper on voter data privacy, which specifically highlights vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s information ecosystem during the February 2024 general elections.

DRF’s Cyber Harassment Helpline Lead Hyra Basit moderated the panel, which featured researcher Maryam Ali Khan, PPP Punjab Information Secretary Nayab Jan, and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Senior Manager Research and Communications Maheen Pracha.

The panelists discussed critical gaps in the existing framework of the Election Commission of Pakistan vis-a-vis protecting voter data, as well as political parties’ voter data practices during the elections. They also discussed what steps could be taken to better safeguard voting information.

Ms Jan noted that “every political party has a responsibility… to maintain digital integrity” and that they must work on “internal code of conducts, legislation and
dialogue”.

Ms Pracha added that the onus lies on the ECP and the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). Moreover, “the perception that the misuse of data is an inconvenience needs to be removed; data misuse can potentially cause great harm to vulnerable people".

The second panel, titled 'Data Protection Legislation: Why It’s Needed, and Where We Are Now', examined why data protection legislation that is holistic and pro-people is vital in Pakistan.

DRF’s Senior Research and Grants Associate Seerat Khan moderated the panel, which featured privacy expert Zainab Khan Durrani, DRF’s Programs Lead Irum Shujah, co-founder and director of Bolo Bhi Usama Khilji, and National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) Assistant Director (General) Ghulam Abbas Sipra.

The panelists discussed how the absence of a data protection regime impacts citizens, leaving them vulnerable to data abuse such as identity fraud, spam and biometric data misuse.

Ms Shujah observed, “The process of data erasure and consent are difficult for even lawyers to grapple with in the current regulatory framework, let alone everyday citizens.”

The panelists also discussed what key elements must be present in a comprehensive data protection law, such as compliance with international human rights framework and principles, and Pakistan’s future trajectory in this scope given the current political situation.

Ms Durrani emphasized that “if the process of making such a law is not consultative, then it is not going to be representative of the needs of the people, and will be another law to impede rights rather than guaranteeing rights".

Both panelists and participants agreed that addressing data vulnerabilities with comprehensive legislation is imperative to ensure a secure and privacy-respecting digital future for Pakistan’s citizens.