Daily Times

Automation in Pakistan took place right before my generation who are in their mid-forties now. We remember the transition from the paper-based system to digitization. Amongst many small initiatives, the big breakthrough came through the automation in the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).

According to the Centre for Global Development’s 2014 report, NADRA pioneered the application of biometric technology and became a key catalyst in many citizens-oriented initiatives including financial inclusion, and disaster relief. It played a role to overcome the under-registration of women, transgender, tribal people and other marginalized groups, though much more still needs to be achieved on that count. Despite NADRA being internationally hailed for its achievements, it still faces many challenges while dealing with various ‘vested interests’.

NADRA happened a while back. Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) made contributions in the field of health, education, law and order, agriculture and food, entrepreneurship and other citizens-led services. Thomas Easton writes in Taking Sides (2002) “… science is nothing more than a systematic approach to gaining knowledge about the world. Technology is the application of knowledge to accomplish things that otherwise could not be accomplished.” Dr Umar Saif, PITB’s Chairman, has been recently removed from his job. One does not know why he has been removed from his job. The reasons appear to be more ‘politically motivated’ rather than performance-based.

According to Dr Saif in his opinion article in a newspaper on May 30, 2018, PITB has implemented over 300 projects from 2012 to 2018, in various fields to automate service delivery and monitor performance.

Anyone familiar with the development sector programmes and projects will tell you that one of the prerequisites of success of such interventions is systematic monitoring to achieve results. It appears PITB developed both automation-drives new information technology (IT) systems as well as devised digitally verifiable ways of monitoring of social services for the people in Punjab.

An e-booklet ‘Digital Punjab: Enhancing Public Services through Technology 2012-17’ published by PITB states, it formed a relationship of partnership with various social services line departments in Punjab and facilitated the process of conceiving, implementing, and institutionalizing digital technology-driven reforms in these departments. PITB delivered both on sector-specific projects as well as on collaborating on cross-sectoral initiatives. In education, PITB’s work helped to overcome the challenges related to monitoring and evaluation of teaching staff in the province as well as enrolment and retention of students in schools. Better monitoring and evaluation through geo-tagged digital devices led to improvement in the quantitative indicators in educational institutes and might have also had some impact on learning outcomes of students.

According to PITB’s e-booklet, it helped to improve preventive health care systems at the primary and tertiary health units in Punjab and also worked on better allocation of human and financial resources in the health sector. PITB’s role in anti-dengue drive in the province is hailed as a success story. The digital ways to fight against dengue led to a ‘disease surveillance system’ in Punjab. PITB also contributed in immunization programmes against preventable diseases such as polio. Biometric attendance systems at health facilities in Punjab considerably improved attendance of health staff in these facilities and improved public service.

In education, PITB’s work helped to overcome the challenges related to monitoring and evaluation of teaching staff in the province as well as enrolment and retention of students in schools

The publication also states that it worked with police and prison departments to improve law and order by strengthening their information management systems. It ushered in a crime data collection and storage in digital form, which in turn helps better in crime prevention and the investigation process. Electronic case-flow management system in the Lahore High Court has been another initiative of PITB to help citizens in the legal arena. In Agriculture and Good, PITB helped gather data regarding crops that can be used for improved planning to ensure food security. Facilitation of interest-free loans for small farmers through an e-credit scheme in agriculture has been another contribution, amongst many others.

‘Digital Punjab’ e-booklet also lists some cross-sectoral initiatives of PITB such as e-Stamping that led to the phasing out of often faulty and fraudulent systems of paper stamps of the board of revenue.

E-stamps also considerably improved the revenue that the Punjab government earns through its sale of stamps. Similarly, one-window based citizens facilitation and service centres called e-Khidmat Markaz in various government departments were aimed to help citizens solve their problems with more ease. Initiation of incubators and other entrepreneurship initiatives such as e-Rozgaar project contributed to the creation of jobs. Similarly, Citizens Feedback Monitoring programme helped to keep a check on municipal services from the citizens’ point of view. PITB also facilitated automation in government departments in Punjab and helped with a few external programmes as well.

There is a lot that PITB claims to have achieved in Punjab in six years and one can only summarize some salient features. We have not seen any third-party external evaluation or external impact assessment of PITB’s work. External evaluations might or might not have been carried out. However, taking its word for it, PITB has achieved a lot in bringing significant changes in the delivery of public services to people in Punjab.

It is, therefore, unfortunate that Chairman Dr Umar Saif has been removed for apparently ‘political reasons’ that might have more to do with the change in government from PML-N to PTI than his performance as the head of the institute. PTI has always made claims to promote meritocracy. However, removal of Dr Saif seems to run counter to this claim, unless the PTI government shares with public some performance-based reasons behind this removal.

The writer has a social science and can be reached on Twitter @FoqiaKhan

Published in Daily Times, November 18^th 2018.