ISLAMABAD, Oct 8 (APP):Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed all federal ministries to complete, within the stipulated time frame, necessary measures for digitizing relevant data in coordination with provincial governments and concerned institutions and ensuring its provision to the central data centre.
Chairing a progress review meeting on implementation of Digital Nation Pakistan initiative, the prime minister said that the national-level central data centre under the Digital Nation Pakistan Programme would play a key role in the delivery of government services and provision of facilities to citizens.
He said clearly defined responsibilities of federal ministries, along with the provision of relevant data to the central data centre, would help bring the government system in line with modern requirements.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said the Digital Nation Pakistan Programme was essentially aimed at ensuring efficient and convenient services for citizens at the national level.
He observed that making useful data from all sectors and government institutions available at one place could contribute significantly to the country’s economic development.
Referring to the fuel subsidy scheme for deserving segments of society, the prime minister said data sharing among institutions had played a key role in its successful implementation.
He said digitization of the performance of ministries and relevant data was important for preventing corruption and institutional mismanagement.
The prime minister appreciated the Ministry of Health for taking commendable steps, in collaboration with provincial governments, towards establishing universal medical records at the national level.
He also appreciated the implementation of QR codes to ensure the availability and verification of quality medicines across the country.
The Ministry of Information Technology briefed the meeting that, with the active cooperation of all relevant ministries, comprehensive measures were being taken for sector-specific digitization.
The meeting was informed that, keeping in view public convenience, the digitization process in basic service sectors, particularly health, agriculture and other ministries, was being completed on a priority basis.
The Ministry of Information Technology, in collaboration with the Ministry of Law, was also taking special and effective measures to make relevant national laws available at one place, which would provide better guidance for future legislation.
The meeting was further informed that, in accordance with the Prime Minister’s directives, work was underway on the digitization of priority sectors, with special measures being taken to achieve the objectives of digital government services, a digital economy and digital public facilitation.
Different federal ministries briefed the meeting on their public services, performance and progress in providing relevant data to the central data centre.
A special briefing was also given on the provision of data related to the Ministry of National Health Services to the central data centre and the use of digitization for verification of the quality of medicines.
Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister for National Health Services Syed Mustafa Kamal, Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja and senior officials of relevant government institutions attended the meeting.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
