ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s election oversight body on Tuesday postponed local government elections in nine districts of the southern Sindh province in view of heavy rains and floods, which have so far killed 239 people in the province.
The first phase of local government elections was held in 14 districts of Sindh in June, but the second phase of polls in Karachi and Hyderabad divisions, scheduled for July 24, had been postponed due to monsoon downpours.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had rescheduled the polls in Karachi and Hyderabad for August 28, however, it has now decided to delay elections in nine districts of the province.
“In view of recommendations by the provincial election commissioner, district administration and weather reports, the Election Commission of Pakistan has postponed local elections in nine districts of Hyderabad division until the situation gets better,” an ECP spokesperson said in a statement late Tuesday.
The election oversight body said it would hold a meeting on Wednesday to decide about local government polls in Karachi division after reviewing various points raised by the provincial government, difficulties in the conduct of polls and weather reports for the next few days.
Pakistan has been hit by one of the worst monsoon seasons in decades, with the Sindh province reporting the highest number of fatalities in the country. On Tuesday, the nationwide death toll surged to 830.
The country is likely to receive more showers from August 23 till August 26, according to the Met Office.
Pakistan election body postpones local polls in nine flood-ravaged districts of Sindh
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Pakistan election body postpones local polls in nine flood-ravaged districts of Sindh
- Pakistan has been hit by worst monsoon rains in decades, with Sindh reporting highest fatalities
- Election authorities will meet on Wednesday to decide the fate of August 28 local polls in Karachi
Pakistan mulls 'Super App' for public services, document verification in major technology push
- Pakistan has been urging technology adoption in public, private sectors as it seeks to become a key tech player globally
- The country this month launched the Indus AI Week to harness technology for productivity, skills development and innovation
KARACHI: Pakistan is planning to launch a “Super App” to deliver public services and enable digital document verification, the country's information technology (IT) minister said on Sunday, amid a major push for technology adoption in public and private sectors.
Pakistan, a country of 240 million people, seeks to become a key participant in the global tech economy, amid growing interest from governments in the Global South to harness advanced technologies for productivity, skills development and innovation.
The country's information and communications technology (ICT) exports hit a record $437 million in Dec. last year, according to IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja. This constituted a 23% increase month on month and a 26% increase year on year.
Pakistan's technology sector is also advancing in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing, marked by the launch of Pakistan’s first sovereign AI cloud in November, designed to keep sensitive data domestic and support growth in the broader digital ecosystem.
“In developed countries, citizens can access all government services from a mobile phone,” Fatima said, announcing plans for the Super App at an event in Karachi where more than 7,000 students had gathered for an AI training entrance test as part of the ‘Indus AI Week.’
“We will strive to provide similar facilities in the coming years.”
Khawaja said the app will reduce the need for in-person visits to government offices such as the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
The Indus AI Week initiative, which ran from Feb. 9 till Feb. 15. was aimed at positioning Pakistan as a key future participant in the global AI revolution, according to the IT minister.
At the opening of the weeklong initiative, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that Pakistan would invest $1 billion in AI by 2030 to modernize the South Asian nation’s digital economy.
“These initiatives aim to strengthen national AI infrastructure and make the best use of our human resource,” Khawaja said, urging young Pakistanis to become creators, inventors and innovators rather than just being the consumers of technology.
