Complaints go online

In days of yore when the world of cyberspace was a fantasy and for those who remember, life was simple and easy.

However the downside was that things progressed at a snail’s pace,a case in point being that to apply for a phone connection or utility connection one would have to wait endlessly before an application would be entertained and the process was tedious and cumbersome.

The redressal of grievances was virtually non-existent and one would have to run helter and skelter from pillar to post to have a wrong righted probably after the greasing of some palms.

Fast forward to 2019, and lo and behold cyberspace has become a reality, citizens have become netizens, and in the parlance of internet, portals, digital technology, smartphones, androids and apps are words we now use daily.

With a new governemt of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in power and Imran Khan as Prime Minister with its catch slogan Tabdeeli (change) digital world has taken on an entirely new dimension.

In this context Khan and his government are striving to introduce digital technology in governanace and the first major initiative in this respect is the Pakistan Citizen Portal.

Pakistan Citizen Portal (PCP) was launched on 28 October 2018 by Imran Khan with an aim to timely address the problems of the people. PM Khan called it one of the manifestations of ‘New Pakistan’.

An app is available on Google playstore on android mobiles where people can register and post their complaints against government offices and employees. The basic purpose is to redress the greivances of citizens online and expeditiously.

However, misuse and abuse of the system needs to be checked as fake applications can be filed also. The bright side to all this e-structure of governance has been highly appreciated and the app has been shortlisted for an award at the World Government Summit to be held in Dubai. While it is a welcome initiative it only remains to be seen if it becomes successful.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th, 2019.

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