IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

The National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) signs two Memorandum of Understanding with Mobi Direct enabling NBP to become consortium member and settlement bank and for using Mobi Direct’s digital Products.

Mr. Saeed Ahmad, President NBP said that he is very optimistic about this initiative and said that this arrangement will go a long way in fulfilling aspirations and expectations of NBP customers and account holders and will help National Bank of Pakistan in rolling out various digital products and services in future through this arrangement.

About RapidCompute, the secretary said this technology will support in developing indigenous software, which direly need of the hour. Congratulating the management of Cybernet, who introduced the Rapid Compute, he said it is a unique service for the entire country, urging the management of Cybernet that the country badly needed skilful IT specialists and works for its promotion.

Long queues, never-ending waiting time, bureaucratic red tape and officials waiting for their palms to be greased – these are some of the attributes that can be associated every time we want to renew our license, get new electricity/gas connections and other administrative transactions involving the government. Inefficiencies and delays dominate government transactions. If we are to improve our economy, starting from this front will give us a head-start.

Our economy had experienced its heyday, occasional, only to fall again. This rise and fall will continue to occur while dream of a stable growth always elusive until or unless the structural issues are fixed instead of curing the symptoms. While there are many issues that need structural adjustment, a good point to begin these reforms is improving the processes and procedures that define the relationship between a government and a common man. Billions of rupees are wasted due to bottlenecks and administrative hindrances (deliberate and unintentional).

The much-hyped E-governance initiative of the federal capital remains in doldrums as National Information Technology Board (NITB) and Capital Development Authority (CDA) are passing on the buck to each other for its delay.

The E-governance system, devised in 2002 to involve citizens in the policy process, illustrating government transparency and accountability and quick disposal of public complaints, still remains uncertain even after 15 years of its initiation.

While financial inclusion is all the rage, digital inclusion has received relatively less focus in Pakistan. In ‘E-commerce: two exclusions,’ published July 11, 2018, BR Research recently highlighted how digital exclusion is hampering Pakistan’s digital economy. Now the SBP, in its latest quarterly report on the state of the economy, has picked up ‘Internet Inclusiveness’, lending the theme a powerful voice.

Using the EIU’s Inclusive Internet Index (2018) – which places Pakistan at 68th rank among 86 economies, lagging Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka in South Asia – the SBP is arguing for more focus on demand-side of things. No matter how many gains are made in improving broadband coverage, they will not, SBP argues, be sufficient alone in gaining the most out of broadband connectivity.

The launch ceremony brought together senior officers of the Local Government (LG) department and media representatives to experience the newly-established online platform first-hand.

SRO No. 266(I)/2012 containing all relevant details is available on the SECP website www.secp.gov.pk. The SECP had successfully launched the eServices project in August 2008, providing for the online incorporation of companies and filing of statutory returns and documents.

Additional chief secretary Khalid Pervez said this here on Wednesday while chairing a meeting attended by all commissioners and deputy commissioners of the province and other officers concerned.

Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications (MoIT) has provided training to more than 5,000 staff of different government departments on e-governance system, launched to ensure accuracy, transparency and accountability in decision making.

In this regard, workshops are being conducted to give orientations regarding e-office to officials and familiarize them with good practices and measures already taken by MoIT.

The government has earmarked over 5,020 million rupees for the Information Technology sector with emphasis on developing human resource.

Over five thousand women from under developed areas will be equipped with computer skills under the Women Digital Empowerment Program during the next fiscal year.

Parks and horticulture Authority (PHA) is going to introduce e-governance in the department for bringing improvement in performance graph.

PHA Director General Asima Ijaz Cheema said on here Wednesday, the importance of information technology could not be ruled out which would help improve the performance of the department.

The programme would help the pensioners to withdraw their pension from any biometrics enabled platform used by banks, post offices and any other alternative channels.

All the technology components are fully developed by NADRA, tested and ready for deployment.

An official at NADRA on Sunday enumerated different projects and mentioned another programme to manage Sindh Zakat System as in collaboration with Provincial Ushr and Zakat Department, a Guzara Allowance programme has been developed to facilitate initially 85,000 beneficiaries.

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), has once again revealed its intentions to establish a legal framework to protect personal data privacy and allowing citizens, among others, the right to access their data from the authorities.

But there is scepticism over whether the ministry can establish a Personal Data Protection authority which is compatible with international best practices and satisfies the concerns of all stakeholders.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan formally inaugurated e-registration of contractors and companies in the province under the Department of Communications and Construction.

The project will benefit about 7,000 contractors across the province, who will be facilitated 24 hours in online registration a week.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board (KPITB) was signed at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House, Islamabad.

In order to promote bi-lateral cooperation in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) enabled services for the public and private sector in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

All the planning is complete for making the first IT city in Karachi, said Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.

Addressing a session on ‘Digital Business Networks and How to attract Foreign IT Companies to Invest in Pakistan’ on Friday, he said, “We have completed all the planning and are soon going to decide the land where the project will be executed. We are in talks with Korea to build IT City in Karachi.”

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday asked the Ministry of Information and Technology to ensure reliable and cheap broadband connectivity across the country, particularly in remote areas, to ensure availability of digital facilities to the common man.

Addressing a ceremony at a contract signing of Broadband for Sustainable Development Projects in FATA; Khyber, Mohmand Agency, and DI Khan, the prime minister commended the initiative and said it would help bridge the gap between the urban and rural areas by providing modern facilities to the people at their doorstep.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Monday emphasized that E-governance should be promoted for transparency and efficiency. The prime minister chaired a meeting on the Ministry of Information and Technology (IT) affairs. Minister for IT Ms Anusha Rehman briefed the prime minister about the roadmap towards digitization process aimed at human resource development in IT sector, facilitating citizens in accessing basic facilities and government services, ensuring transparency and good governance. The prime minister appreciated the efforts of IT ministry towards digitization and strengthening of IT sector in the country and said that information and technology was the future.