PM underscores E-governance for better performance and delivery system

ISLAMABAD, Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday underlined the need for utilization of latest technology to facilitate public and resolved that the government was fully committed to E-governance for better performance and delivery system.

He was addressing a launching ceremony of issuance of letters of administration and succession certificates by the Punjab government in collaboration with National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) here.

The Prime Minister observed that a revolution had been brought to the world by the information and technology sector which also ensured hassle free governance system.

“The government is implementing E-governance to end routine files and paper system. For the first time, land record is being computerized to facilitate public,” he said adding that in the federal capital territory, such system was being introduced under a target set for the month of August.

The ceremony was attended by Minister for Law and Justice Farogh Naseem, Minister for Interior Shaikh Rashid Ahmad, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Special Assistant to PM Dr Shahbaz Gill, Chairman NADRA Muhammad Tariq Malik, high authorities of the Punjab government and others.

The initiative is part of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision to facilitate the public to get their rights without facing difficulties. The system is also adopted by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh province.

The Prime Minister observed that people often faced difficulties in their day-to-day life but the IT had provided short cut solutions to various issues.

The Prime Minister said that it was the job of the government to remove hardships in the lives of people and serve them as it functioned on their taxes. On the other hand, the system decayed when people were made to serve the government, he added.

The Prime Minister referred to introduction of in-house developed software in the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital which had made its functions completely paperless.

He opined that through the adoption of this technology, the pilferage and corruption also ended there.

The Prime Minister said that they expected NADRA to facilitate overseas Pakistanis as the government wanted to enable them take part in the general elections with some kind of foolproof voting system..

He said about 9 million overseas Pakistanis were their assets as they had been serving the country economically by sending back remittances.

The prime minister further said that introduction of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) would eliminate all polling issues. In the past, except 1970 elections, opposition parties had been raising objections over all the polling results.

The public would have trust in the EVMs, he said, adding that former US president Donald Trump had contested the presidential election results, but he could not prove his allegations due to use of latest technology.

The Prime Minister also lauded efforts of law minister and NADRA chairman for the successful launch of the initiative.

Minister for Law Farogh Naseem, on the occasion, said that the initiative would benefit about 120 million population of Punjab province as applicants would get the required documents within a timeframe of fifteen days.

He said soon after introduction of this system in Islamabad, the authorities received 350 applications and out of which 317 applicants had been issued the required documents.

He expressed the confidence that the initiative reduced caseload in the courts by 25 to 30 per cent.

The law minister said that they would expand the system to facilitate the overseas Pakistanis living in main cities of US, UK and the Middle East.

Farogh said it was made possible due to the guidance of the Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said the government was considering to bring in a new legislation against land-grabbers to ensure strict action against the illegal occupants.

Addressing here at the groundbreaking of various development projects by Capital Development Authority, the Prime Minister mentioned the rise of ‘qabza groups’ in Islamabad and the rest of the country, and stressed a forceful check against them.

The Prime Minister said the land mafia was acting with nefarious objectives to illegally or forcibly take possession of immovable properties of people.

He pointed that the improper proceedings resulted in bail of land grabber and also the lesser penalty did not act as an effective deterrent against the crime.

“The new law will help mitigate the sufferings of people fallen victim to illegal dispossession and ensure strict action against the qabza groups,” the Prime Minister said.

To counter the negative impacts of rapid urbanization, he said the government had chalked out a strategy outlined as making city masterplans, green areas and forestation, addressing traffic problems and elimination of land-grabbers.

He mentioned that launch of Miyawaki forestation in Islamabad and rest of the country aimed at more growth of plants in lesser period. Also, the conversion of brick kilns on zig-zag is a step to reduce the high levels of pollution.

Imran Khan emphasized on making Islamabad a model for rest of the country in terms of plantation.

He expressed satisfaction that CA had revamped several parks to provide citizens and families a place for leisure time.

The Prime Minister lauded the performance of CDA for generating revenues worth Rs 136 billion compared with the deficit of Rs 5 billion at the time his government took to power.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said CDA had revamped 200 out of 240 parks of the capital with four new to be established soon.

He said an exclusive ‘Ladies Bazar’ would be set up with women-only shopkeepers and visitors.

He highlighted that an emergency help service like Punjab’s 1122 was required in the capital as a prompt response to any untoward incident and accidents.Earlier,

Prime Minister Imran Khan launched Letter of Administration and Succession Certificates Initiative for Punjab, in Islamabad on Wednesday.

According to Letter of Administration and Succession Certificates Act, the legal heirs can get succession certificates from National Database and Registration Authority within fifteen days without approaching the courts.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister termed it an important step saying it will greatly facilitate the people including the overseas Pakistanis.

The Prime Minister expressed the commitment to use the latest technologies in order to bring further ease in the lives of the people.

He said we are also introducing e-governance to improve the performance of public sector departments.

He said land record of all the main cities including the federal capital will be computerized by August.

The Prime Minister said that overseas Pakistanis are a precious asset of the country who are immensely contributing to the national economy through their remittances. He said a foolproof system will be brought enabling the overseas Pakistanis to cast votes in the elections.

Imran Khan said Electronic Voting Machines will be introduced to eliminate rigging in the elections. He said we will bring such a system that the election results are acceptable to the losing parties.

In his remarks on the occasion, Law Minister Farogh Naseem said implementation has been started on laws framed under the guidance of Prime Minister Imran Khan  He said the initiative of Letter of Administration and Succession Certificates will greatly reduce the burden on the courts.

The Law Minister said this mechanism is working successfully in Islamabad and one will also see its benefits reaching the millions of people of Punjab. He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has also passed this law.