President Secretariat is at Zero-Level in the Implementation of e-office & Digitization-Report

The President of Pakistan Dr Arif Ali is being considered as one of the technical experts, but President Secretariat is currently at zero-level in the implementation of e-office and digitization.

NITB has categorized the e-office implementation in six levels starting from zero to five

This was revealed in the documents presented before the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication. The committee met with Ali Khan Jadoon where the National Information Technology Board (NITB) briefed it on hurdles/impediments/issues on the digitization and e-office and to explore their solutions.

NITB has categorized the e-office implementation in six levels starting from zero to five. Zero level means there is no preparedness at all with respect to hardware as well as human resources for the implementation of e-office. The committee was told that the flagship project of the ministry is ensuring e-offices in the government departments and so far 27 out of 45 ministries have reached level 2 of the e-office setup and 15 are in process.

Regarding e-office, NITB briefed on levels (0 to 4) status they attained in the different Ministries.

In level 4 only MoITT, NITB, Board of Investment, PHDEC fall, in level 3 Commerce, Establishment, Foreign Affairs, BISP, IGNITE, FIA, Islamabad Police, IPO, Privatization Commission, in level 2 they informed that they have updated National Assembly, Prime Minister Office, CDA, NEPRA, FBR, PARC, PEMRA, CGA/FABS, NTC, CCP, DRAP, NTDC, WWF and Federal Ombudsman, HEC Office with e-system, in level Industries and production. However in zero level there are Climate change, Human rights, National History and Literacy Heritage, Postal Services, Water Resources, Textile Industry, Railways, Statistics, Housing, National Security Food Security, National Security, Inter-provincial Coordination, Kashmir Affairs &GB, Maritime Affairs, Religious Affairs, President Secretariat, NHA, Motorway Police and HIT.

They further informed that there are certain Prime Minister Office directives regarding implementation of e-office with the deadline for level 04 and expecting that by June 2020 all the federal ministries and departments would be converted to e-office.

PC-I may be revised to complete remaining contractual obligations. In National Assembly 307 employees, digital certificate and profiles are created, provision of e-office application suite made since 2014, out of 335 employees 312 are trained and 20 out of 32 sections were automated. (Not using at present).

NITB informed that one of the challenges for implementation was no legislation/executive orders for usage and implementation —personality based decision, but with the directives of the Prime Minister this challenge has been overcome.

Further there is no ICT infrastructure in line Ministries, however now the government has directed for a centralized procurement which would cost around Rs 1.3 billion for all the ministries and department. With this, the infrastructure issue would be resolved.