Jahan Ara Manzoor Wattoo, Vice Chairperson of the Punjab Social Protection Authority, emphasized that evidence-based decision-making is no longer a choice but a necessity for effective and transparent governance in Punjab. She has stated that the Punjab Socio-Economic Registry (PSER) is a landmark initiative that addresses long-standing gaps in public planning by providing credible, verified, and real-time socio-economic data. Such data-driven systems enables policymakers to design targeted interventions, optimize public spending, and ensure that resources reach the right beneficiaries across key sectors, including health, education, and social protection.
She further highlighted that PSER’s use of modern IT infrastructure, advanced data analytics, and proxy means testing (PMT) marks a decisive shift from assumption-based policymaking to objective, transparent, and measurable decisions. By institutionalizing data as a core governance tool and breaking departmental data silos, PSER is strengthening accountability and transparency while improving the quality of policy formulation and implementation in Punjab in this regard PSER is expected to set a benchmark and serve as a role model for other provinces.
Jahan Ara Manzoor Wattoo highlighted that women’s inclusion is a defining strength of the PSER initiative. She noted that the active participation of women in technical, analytical, and operational roles not only advances institutional equity but also improves the quality, sensitivity, and reliability of data and policy outcomes. She also said that when women contribute to the collection and analysis of household-level information, policies become more responsive to ground realities and socio-economic needs. She also appreciated the performance of Project Director PSER, Qamar uz Zaman Qaisrani, and his team, acknowledging their effective leadership in managing and delivering a complex, province-wide initiative.
Highlighting the importance of public engagement, Jahan Ara Manzoor Wattoo commended PSER’s new digital communication and advocacy campaign, particularly its focus on all walk of life particularly youth. She emphasized that with nearly 65 percent of Pakistan’s population comprising young people, to engage them through modern digital platforms is essential. She also delineated that reaching youth in their own digital spaces can transform PSER into a citizen-led movement for evidence-based decision-making and responsible governance.
She concluded by reiterating that PSER represents a forward-looking governance reform that will combine data as well as bring innovation. According to her, initiatives like PSER will define the future of public policy in Pakistan by ensuring that development planning is informed by evidence, guided by equity, and driven by citizen participation.