The onset of the Information Age, during the late 20th century, ushered the decline of industrialisation as the world witnessed a rapid transition from traditional industries to information technology. With the widespread use of the internet, businesses, governments and industries started shifting to online platforms in order to store massive quantities of data. The subsequent birth of the virtual world, contemporarily known as the cloud, brought about a radical shift in how societies functioned. The world today is more powerful than ever as cellphones and computers have changed the way we interact.
Third world countries, however, are having a hard time trying to integrate to virtual platforms as they face a plethora of social issues. But many claim the use of digital technologies is essential for economic prosperity and global competition, which could help combat these problems in the long run. In Pakistan, the district administration of Punjab is at the forefront of trying to digitalise public services under the Punjab Local Government Act (PLGA) 2019. The initiative is expected to be completed within the next few weeks after which the government will introduce 12 Management Information Systems to help empower citizens by making them active participants in administrative affairs. These online administrative platforms will surely help reduce human dependency and increase efficiency as citizens will now have the opportunity to report issues online.
While the initiative is a step in the right direction, two important aspects need to be considered. One, authorities should acknowledge the privacy of civilian information and make sure secure measures are in place so that such information is only used for registration and identification purposes. Two, the government needs to make sure that internet facilities are easily available to everyone. There is also a serious need to create technological awareness as the poor lacks any form of technological knowledge. It is important to make sure that the system is all-inclusive.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 18th, 2020.
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