The past century has seen digital technology explode at an electric pace. So much so that governments, who are normally the first investors in some of these technologies, are often left playing catchup as they try to fully comprehend not only the use of these technologies but also their possible implications. By and large, however, technology has proven to be an enabler in almost every sphere of life in the modern world, making previously tedious yet mundane processes as easy as pressing a button.
With a pandemic ravaging the world, technology has come to the aid of our central bank which has teamed up with the national identity database authority to introduce contact-less biometrics for banking purposes. While lagging in its endeavours to become a competent e-government per a recent ranking, Pakistan has been tech-forward for identification purposes. It first did this by introducing a digital database for citizens and then added digital biometrics for added verification. These systems were then integrated with almost everything in the country from obtaining driving licences to utility services and phone connections. Later, these were extended to consumer banking functions as well. This augers well for an increasingly digital economy in the country.
The Covid-19 pandemic, though, means that people have been unable to access these services because of lockdowns. Thankfully, the government has recognised that the advancement of fingerprinting and other sensors on smart devices, which many of the country’s 17% banked population possess, have sufficiently advanced to provide accurate biometrics for banks to remotely conduct verifications. The adoption of such technology by the SBP could potentially open the doors for its application in a host of other areas where biometrics have been deemed necessary such as identity cards, driving licences, passports and even property trading. Who knows they may even be useful in some other nationally critical areas down the line provided the government can keep the data of citizens safe and free of abuse.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 13th, 2021.
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