Senate introduces mobile app to boost digital governance

September 09, 2026 (MLN): The Senate of Pakistan has introduced a new mobile application to improve public access to parliamentary information and strengthen transparency, efficiency and citizen engagement.

Acting President and Chairman Senate Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani inaugurated the Senate Mobile Application at Parliament House on Tuesday, terming the initiative an important development in the Upper House’s digital transformation.

Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said the application represented more than the introduction of a new technology platform, describing it as a move towards modernizing the Senate’s working methods and improving its services to citizens.

The Senate, established in 1973, has traditionally depended on manual procedures for various parliamentary functions.

Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani noted that digitization could reduce the time and resources spent on administrative processes and allow greater focus on parliamentary and public-service responsibilities.

The mobile application forms part of a broader digitalization programme at the Senate Secretariat, which has already introduced an e-office system.

The Senate has also developed digital archives to provide parliamentarians, researchers and citizens with easier access to authenticated parliamentary records and information.

According to Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, expanding digital access would help strengthen communication between Parliament and the public by facilitating access to official information and creating greater opportunities for citizen feedback.

He added that the availability of verified parliamentary information through digital platforms could also help address misinformation by enabling citizens to obtain timely information directly from official sources.

Acting Chairman Senate Syedaal Khan Nasar said the application showed a wider transformation in the institution’s approach to conducting parliamentary business rather than serving merely as a technological upgrade.

Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhary said a modern Parliament required not only effective legislation but also efficient systems for conducting, organizing, recording and communicating parliamentary proceedings.

Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the initiative was aligned with the government’s broader digital transformation agenda, centered on the digital economy, digital society and digital governance.

She said Parliament had passed the Digital Nation Pakistan Act last year, followed by the establishment of the Pakistan Digital Authority.

Shaza Fatima Khawaja added that digital transformation was expanding beyond the IT sector and increasingly influencing education, healthcare, financial services and governance.

Senate Secretary Syed Hasnain Haider said the application had been developed by the Senate’s IT Department.

The launch marks another step in the Senate’s efforts to replace paper-based and fragmented processes with integrated digital systems aimed at improving institutional efficiency, transparency and public accessibility.

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