Pakistan Citizen Portal app shortlisted for award at Dubai summit

Prime Minister Imran Khan is addressing the World Government Summit in Dubai on Sunday. (Photo courtesy: social media)
Updated 10 February 2019
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Pakistan Citizen Portal app shortlisted for award at Dubai summit

  • The portal was introduced in December 2015 in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
  • The success of the app will reflect the government’s commitment to serve people, says KP official

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Citizen Portal, an integrated system for recording and redressing citizens’ complaints against the performance of government departments, has made headlines after it was included in the best citizen service delivery competition at the World Government Summit (WGS) in Dubai this year. 

“The app is among the top three and we hope to win the first position. It will be an honor for the country,” Kamran Bangash, special assistant to the Chief Minister KP on Information Technology, told Arab News on Sunday.

Dr. Muhammad Akif Khan, Deputy Coordinator e-Governance at Performance Management and Reforms Unit (PMRU), Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), who is representing Pakistan at the WGS along with his peer Adil Raza, will present the application at the summit.

The app was first introduced in 2015 at provincial level in KP where it managed to elicit a great response in the previous Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) government. “After becoming the country’s prime minister, Imran Khan wanted to scale up the app to provide services on national level. He tasked the same team from KP to introduce it on the federal level,” said Bangash.

After the portal was introduced at the national level, hundreds of thousands of complainants used the service to record their grievances. “More than 50 percent complaints have been resolved while many complaints are pending in the concerned departments,” he added.

The response was so good that the app got selected by the government of UAE, said Bangash.

He further said that the success of the app would improve Pakistan’s image. “The success of the app shows that the government is serious in providing facilities to all citizens. It also shows that the government is using modern technology to interact with the public,” he added.


Pakistan, Türkiye sign agri-tech, livestock pacts under SIFC framework

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Pakistan, Türkiye sign agri-tech, livestock pacts under SIFC framework

  • The deals link Pakistani research and corporate entities with Turkish companies
  • MoUs align with Islamabad’s export-led growth push after IMF-backed stabilization

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has facilitated two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Turkish partners in agriculture technology and livestock development, an official announced on Friday, as Islamabad seeks to boost productivity and exports following recent economic stabilization efforts.

The deals, brokered under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), bring together the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council and Türkiye’s Agricultural Technologies Cluster (TÜME), as well as Green Corporate Livestock Initiative (Pvt.) Ltd. and Dost Agriculture Enterprises.

The SIFC, a hybrid civil-military body formed in 2023 to fast-track decisions related to international investment in sectors including tourism, livestock, agriculture and mines and minerals, has been central to Pakistan’s efforts to attract foreign capital and streamline approvals.

“Pakistan possesses vast agricultural potential, fertile land, and a dynamic workforce,” Jamil Qureshi, Federal Secretary of the SIFC, said in a post on social media. “By combining these strengths with Türkiye’s advanced expertise and technological innovation, we are unlocking new pathways for productivity, value addition, and global market access.”

Qureshi said the agreements reflected a shared commitment to technology transfer, modernization of livestock practices and enhanced export competitiveness.

Pakistan is pushing for export-led growth after emerging from a prolonged economic crisis that saw foreign exchange reserves fall sharply and inflation surge. The country stabilized its economy with the support of the International Monetary Fund and financial assistance from friendly nations, and is now seeking to accelerate reforms and attract investment into productive sectors.

“At the SIFC, our role is clear: to facilitate investors, enable strategic partnerships, and ensure seamless coordination so that agreements translate into measurable economic outcomes,” Qureshi said.

He added the government had pledged to create a business-friendly environment to draw foreign investors, particularly in sectors where international collaborations can thrive.