E-Khyber

An incredible and truly ground-breaking feat has been achieved by Khyber’s district administration which has launched an official K-P website in order to provide e-services and redress grievances of the citizens of the seven merged tribal districts. The initiative is aimed at “ensure transparency, accessibility and visibility” by ensuring that the general public has access to information regarding administrative affairs via the website in which details regarding the expenditure of public funds and execution of development schemes will be integrated. Officials claim that the project not only helps in breaking away from traditional methodology but also diverges from past mindsets where previous political administration would remain the centre of criticism for concealing information.

Surprisingly, the website is not only elegantly designed, with consideration given to negative spacing, color palettes and animations, but is also well organised, allocating separate pages for governance, e-services, performance dashboard, and latest information on polio vaccination and Covid-19. Apart from finally integrating technology within the overall administrative framework and providing the citizens, with a much-needed database, the website can also simultaneously be used to preserve the rich history of the region through stories and pictures — something that could become a separate sub-venture within the project.

The government should also be aware that due to the lack of facilities and internet access, not everyone will have the privilege of accessing and using the website. Thus, inclusivity may be a major hurdle that the authorities will need to overcome. Even though the project seems to be heading in the right direction, it is essential that the government ensure the website is constantly updated. While still in its adolescent stage, the initiative needs to be made multi-dimensional, in a sense that all relevant stakeholders are brought on board for collecting, analysing and presenting data in a simplistic and aesthetically pleasing way.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27^th, 2020.

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