Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the National Information Technology Board to focus on providing citizens with easier, more efficient and modern digital government services, issuing the directive while chairing a review meeting on ongoing NITB reforms and progress on construction of the Islamabad Technology Park. The prime minister emphasized that all relevant institutions should work in coordination to ensure timely, transparent and accessible digital services for citizens, describing this as a key priority of the government.
During the meeting, Shehbaz Sharif highlighted the transition of federal ministries to e-office systems as one of the most significant reforms undertaken under the government’s IT and digital transformation agenda. He directed that the use of e-office systems be extended across all subordinate departments and state owned enterprises of the federal government, instructing authorities to accelerate the broader digitalization of government institutions and make fuller use of modern technologies. He also directed that digitization of records for all government owned properties be completed as soon as possible. According to a briefing presented during the session, all federal ministries have already shifted to e-office systems, while efforts are underway to expand the system across other government departments and state owned entities.
The prime minister expressed displeasure over delays in completing the Islamabad Technology Park, directing authorities to finish the project as soon as possible and make it operational on a priority basis. He further instructed that the technology park be fully outsourced for its operations to ensure efficient management going forward. Officials briefed the meeting that the rightsizing process at NITB has been completed, with appointments to key positions currently being made through a transparent process, addressing an area of the organization’s internal reforms that had been under review.
The meeting also reviewed broader progress on construction of the Islamabad Technology Park and discussed measures to accelerate its completion, reflecting continued government attention on a project that has faced repeated delays. The session was attended by Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Ahad Khan Cheema, Dr. Musadik Masood Malik and Shaza Fatima Khawaja, along with senior officials from relevant institutions, underscoring the cross ministerial coordination the prime minister has called for in pushing forward Pakistan’s digital government services agenda.
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