1. Purpose

This policy outlines how PakPedia stores civic, legal, geographic, and administrative data; where the data is hosted; how residency principles apply; and what protections govern storage, retention, and access. PakPedia does not store personal or sensitive user information.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• Civic data and administrative datasets
• District, tehsil, and jurisdiction information
• Legal references, summaries, and timelines
• Maps and GIS layers
• Platform logs (non-personal)
• Educational resources

This policy does not apply to personal data because PakPedia does not collect or store identifiable personal information.

3. Data Types Stored by PakPedia

3.1 Civic Information

• Laws, amendments, and official notifications
• Governance structures
• Police jurisdiction data

3.2 Geographic Data

• Administrative boundaries
• District and tehsil profiles
• Verified GIS metadata

3.3 Platform Metadata

• Page version history
• Technical logs (non-personal)
• Correction and dispute tracking IDs (non-identifiable)

3.4 Educational & Public Information

• Civic learning modules
• Teacher-facing resources
• Simplified content for students

No data stored is personal or user-identifiable.

4. Data Localization Approach

4.1 Non-Personal Dataset Storage

PakPedia stores all data in secure cloud environments that comply with:

• Availability requirements
• Data integrity standards
• Geographic redundancy

Because PakPedia does not store personal information, strict residency enforcement is not required under privacy laws. However, PakPedia maintains consistent and transparent hosting practices.

4.2 Regional Redundancy

PakPedia may host datasets in:

• Primary cloud region (main operational zone)
• Secondary region (backup and redundancy)

All regions comply with high security and ethical data handling standards. Exact hosting regions may vary depending on infrastructure and performance requirements.

4.3 No Cross-Border Personal Data

PakPedia does not transfer personal or sensitive data across borders because it does not collect such data at any stage.

5. Storage Security Standards

PakPedia uses:

• Encrypted storage for internal datasets
• Encrypted transmission for all platform traffic
• Access-controlled environments for administrators
• Redundant backups for availability
• Log monitoring for suspicious activity

Storage configuration follows global best practices for non-personal civic data.

6. Data Retention & Deletion

6.1 Retention

PakPedia keeps:

• Civic information indefinitely, unless superseded
• Historical versions for archival value
• Platform logs for a limited period necessary for security and maintenance

6.2 Deletion

PakPedia may delete:

• Corrupted or duplicate datasets
• Deprecated administrative information
• Misleading or unverifiable data
• Redundant mapping layers

PakPedia never deletes historical civic information without documentation.

7. Backup & Recovery

7.1 Backup Schedule

Important datasets are backed up regularly to prevent loss.

7.2 Recovery Process

If a failure occurs:

1. Systems are restored from secure backups
2. Integrity is verified
3. A version log entry is created
4. A transparency note may be issued for major incidents

8. Access Controls

8.1 Restricted Access

Only authorized personnel may access:

• Backend datasets
• GIS layers
• System logs

8.2 Least Privilege

Access is granted only to the extent required for specific duties.

8.3 No Third-Party Access

External entities cannot access PakPedia storage systems unless:

• Explicitly approved
• Required for secure hosting
• Bound by strict security agreements

PakPedia does not share internal datasets for political or commercial use.

9. External Data & Localization Rules

9.1 Civic Data Imports

Imported datasets must come from verified, authoritative sources.

9.2 Mapping Data

GIS data must reflect:

• Accurate administrative boundaries
• Official government notifications
• Proper licensing and attribution

9.3 Translation Data

Translation resources must not introduce:

• Political framing
• Inaccurate interpretations
• Cultural bias

10. Compliance

While PakPedia does not store personal data, it adheres to:

• Ethical open-data principles
• Standard cybersecurity practices
• Transparency & Citation standards
• Accessibility & Inclusion practices
• Neutrality and non-political governance

PakPedia’s storage environment is designed for civic trust, accuracy, and safety.

11. Prohibited Storage Practices

PakPedia does not:

• Store personally identifiable information
• Store user tracking data
• Store sensitive political or security-related datasets
• Store commercially sourced demographic profiles
• Host unverified or misleading datasets
• Enable third-party data scraping or replication

12. Audit & Review

12.1 Internal Audits

PakPedia periodically audits:

• Storage integrity
• Data accuracy
• Backup performance
• Security compliance

12.2 Annual Review

This policy is reevaluated annually and updated in the Transparency Report.