ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday expressed serious concern over negligible progress towards employing e-solution for conducting official business.
He was chairing a briefing on the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication at Prime Minister’s Office.
On e-governance and introducing paper-less culture in offices, the prime minister, while taking ownership of the e-office initiative, said his office would take the lead towards e-office to be followed by all ministries. He tasked Dr Ishrat Hussain to formulate a comprehensive road map with delineated timelines to ensure transformation towards paperless culture in all ministries and departments of the federal government.
In this context, the prime minister said he would soon chair the meeting of Digitization Transformation Committee.
The briefing was attended by Minister for Finance Asad Umar, Minister for IT & Telecom Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Law Minister Dr Muhammad Farogh Naseem, Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider, Advisor to PM Dr Ishrat Hussain, Secretary IT Maroof Afzal, Secretary Privatization Rizwan Malik and senior officers.
The prime minister was briefed about the mandate of the ministry, role of various attached departments and organizations, the existing outlook of IT & telecom sector in the country and its contribution along with ways and means to capitalize the huge potential existing in the IT sector.
The IT secretary also highlighted various milestones achieved by the ministry since its inception. Discussing the issues faced by young entrepreneurs in the IT sector, the prime minister directed the finance minister to devise a mechanism to streamline and facilitate IT experts in payments for their expertise.
Keeping in view the issues related to telecom sector and license renewals, it was decided that a committee would be constituted in consultation with the finance and IT ministers. The finance minister will chair the committee.
Separately, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman General Zubair Mahmood Hayat Thursday called on Prime Minister Imran Khan here at the PM Office.
Professional matters pertaining to armed forces were discussed during the meeting, a statement issued by PM Media Office said.
Published in Daily Times, September 5th 2018.
