Sindh set to establish provincial data center

The Sindh government is planning to establish a provincial data center as part of its efforts to expand digital governance and strengthen the security of government data.

The decision was made during a meeting between Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) Managing Director Major General (R) Ali Farhan at the Chief Minister House.

The Chief Minister directed the relevant departments to collaborate with the NTC and submit a comprehensive proposal and implementation plan for the project.

Officials discussed cooperation in telecommunications, cloud services, cybersecurity, digital governance and data management during the meeting.

The NTC also briefed the provincial government on its existing ICT infrastructure and plans to expand data center facilities across Pakistan.

Major General (R) Ali Farhan informed the Chief Minister that NTC, established under the Telecom Reorganisation Act of 1996, is the country’s sole government-owned ICT service provider. It is mandated to provide secure telecom and IT services to federal and provincial governments, defense forces, autonomous bodies, and other public sector institutions.

The NTC said it currently operates Tier-III compliant data centers in Islamabad, Lahore and Quetta, providing cloud computing, disaster recovery and secure hosting services to government organizations. It also plans to establish a similar facility in Karachi to support Sindh’s e-governance initiatives.

According to the corporation, it maintains an optical fibre network of nearly 1,000 kilometres across Sindh, which it said could support large-scale digital projects, including Safe City initiatives and integrated government communication systems.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said said the proposed facility formed part of the provincial government’s wider digital transformation strategy and reflected commitments made during his recent budget speech to invest in digital infrastructure.

The Chief Minister emphasized that secure data infrastructure has become a strategic requirement for governments worldwide.

He noted that the establishment of the Provincial Data Centre would provide secure storage, cloud-based services, and business continuity solutions for government departments while reducing operational risks and enhancing inter-departmental coordination.

The proposed data centre is expected to provide secure data storage, cloud-based services and disaster recovery facilities for government departments, while improving coordination between provincial institutions.

The chief minister also said the project would help extend high-speed internet connectivity to rural and remote areas of Sindh, with the aim of improving access to healthcare, education and online public services.

Furthermore, the centralised data facility and robust connectivity network will serve as the technological backbone for the upcoming Safe Cities project, facilitating advanced surveillance, real-time data processing for law enforcement, and smarter public safety management.

The Chief Minister directed the Planning & Development Board, the Information Technology Department, and NTC to jointly prepare a detailed roadmap covering technical specifications, implementation timelines, governance mechanisms, and future expansion requirements.

He also stressed the need to align the proposed facility with international standards for cybersecurity, data protection, and disaster recovery. “The project can be initiated through Public Private Partnerships (PPP) model with NTC,” he said.

Appreciating NTC’s technical expertise and nationwide experience, the Chief Minister expressed the provincial government’s commitment to working closely with the corporation to develop secure ICT infrastructure and expand digital connectivity across Sindh.

The meeting concluded with an agreement to enhance cooperation between the Government of Sindh and NTC to realize the vision of a secure, connected, and digitally empowered Sindh.