LAHORE: The Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) National Privacy Conference 2025 on Wednesday highlighted gaps in data protection and launched a research paper on voter data privacy in Pakistan.

The conference also marked Global Data Protection Day and launched its latest research paper voter data privacy in Pakistan: privacy risks, data protection, and legislative shortcomings during data-driven elections at a local hotel.

The conference was organised to address critical issues surrounding voter data privacy and the state of data protection legislation in Pakistan. Policymakers, academics, digital rights experts, civil society organisations, political party representatives and other key stakeholders came together to discuss the urgency of adequate data protection laws and regulatory infrastructure, especially in a country ambitious to digitize its economy but still vulnerable to significant data breaches and Internet disruptions.

DRF Executive Director Nighat Dad said that the right to privacy is about more than just the unchecked exchange of personal data and it is about public trust, mutual respect, informed consent, and shaping a future that prioritizes citizens’ safety in both online and offline spaces.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2025