Daily Times

World is pivoting towards digital concepts and tools to solve complex problems of public administration. Big data is one such concept that can help in evidence-based policy making decisions. It can become the panacea for all governance woes.

Currently, the set of data available to governments include data on demographics, psychographics, and socio-graphics. However, the velocity, volume and diversity of data continue to increase. That is why most governments are still trying to figure out a way to use data in an effective manner. Pakistan is one of them.

Pakistan is the 6th most populous country in the world, with 200 million people.  Whilst the country faced a number of challenges in past because of political instability, corruption and red-tape, the window of opportunity is now arising. Pakistan is experiencing a peculiar demographic transition which entails declining population growth and significant change in age structure. Pakistan’s dependent population is diminishing -that means the proportion of population in working age group is becoming prominent. This major youth bulge can be turned into a ‘demographic dividend’ if youngsters’ needs are properly addressed, or else, it can turn into a demographic time bomb. But how can evidence gleaned from data be reflected and incorporated into policies?

A strong national data ecosystem will be the starting point. Currently, there are several governmental and non-governmental organisations collecting data through various surveys, census, polls, and other collection techniques. But integrating all these sources and bridging the gap between public and private institutions would be the essential cornerstone. Second step would be to build the institutional capacity to keep and analyse variety of data and identifying the correct population data sources.  This will include creating new generation of data analysts and experts. Punjab Information Technology Board is initiating such programmes involving, as a first step, digitalisation of data kept by all institutions including police departments, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). The provincial government is also introducing requisite academic courses and programmes through its newly-founded Information Technology University. This reflects development, technology and public policy amalgamation. Also, a national Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data centre is on the cards, under the vision 2025 planned by the federal government. The use of big data can range in varying fields from education to public safety and crime control. Questions like – which type of youth factions are more prone to radicalisation? What causes certain sort of behaviours in our youth?  What are the youth needs? Which districts of Pakistan are lacking a certain skillset in their youth and reasons behind that? In which areas, the youth is facing the most healthcare problems and why? – can all be answered.

Law enforcement agencies cannot only use big data analytics to find precursors leading to radicalism and terrorism but they can also predict imminent threats emerging from different neighbourhoods

With mushrooming youth, challenges are humongous too. Radicalism, crime and terrorism would prevail if youth centric policies are not devised. Law enforcement agencies cannot only use big data analytics to find precursors leading to radicalism and terrorism but they can also predict imminent threats emerging from different neighbourhoods.

Insights can also help define the needs of working youth. E.g. equipping the workforce with better skills and thus improving its quality. Not only that, embedded data analytics can also fulfil education and healthcare needs of citizens and help with appropriate budgeting and planning. Corruption can be alleviated as the money trails would be easier to find because of digitalisation and analytics at play. Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), NADRA and the State Bank of Pakistan keep data pertaining to assets, banking transactions, taxes, and family trees. If these data streams are connected and integrated to a common database – that is really all that is needed, by and large.  The resulting database can help enhance scrutiny and accountability and better allocation of funds.

This data-oriented approach would dial down the chaos in haphazard policy corridors of Pakistan. Predictive analytics have the prospects to elevate strategic decision making as leaders and administrators are equipped with real-time knowledge of their decision’s impact, instead of relying of past performance reports. It would be exciting to see how Pakistan ceases this opportunity.

The writer is an IT Project Manager. He has an inclination towards Public Policy, Strategy and Tech Innovation. He tweets @syedmdz ‘