Government Forms Digital Pakistan Committee, Appoints Tania Aidrus as Convener
On April 24, the federal government re-appointed Tania Aidrus, a former Google executive, to spearhead Pakistan’s digital transformation efforts. Aidrus will serve as the convener of the newly formed Digital Pakistan Committee, working under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
The move, approved by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, marks a return to the initiative for Aidrus, who previously led the Digital Pakistan project under the administration of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications notification emphasizes the committee’s mandate to generate recommendations for strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure and streamlining government processes through the adoption of modern technologies.
Aidrus: A Background in Tech
Aidrus brings a wealth of international experience to the role. Her educational credentials include an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management and a BSc from Brandeis University. Before joining Google, she co-founded ClickDiagnostics, a mobile health diagnosis company focused on connecting patients in emerging markets with doctors worldwide.
Her previous tenure as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Digital Pakistan (2019-2020) ended in controversy. Aidrus resigned in July 2020, after facing scrutiny over her Canadian citizenship, while additional reports suggested her involvement in establishing a non-governmental organization (NGO) had raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest.