Digitalization and Pakistan

By: Iqra Javed

Youth Ambassador YEP

UNDP Pakistan

           The Information Technology has captivated the imagination of millions around the world for opportunities. It offers in transforming the market place and the rules govern way we communicate, make decisions, and do our business. Digitalization is the process of emerging new technologies in human life, which can be like sounds, images, scientific ways, documents, sites, and other progressions for converting information into digital shape.

For instance, previously, Letters were sent to each other for communication. However, contemporary digitalization has changed the face of this source of communication via introducing mobiles, chat, email telephones, etc.

 In Pakistan, the digitalization has just kick-started. Nobody knows how many years it will take to mold into a revolution. The gigantic challenge for Pakistan's digital vision is to spread internet access throughout the country include villages.

  Pakistan has the vision to digitalize Health, Education, Commerce, Employment, Judiciary System, etc. sectors. So, the citizens could avail maximally.  According to the year 2016, the number of internet users in Pakistan is 34,342,400 means 17.8% of the population use the internet through different sources like 3 and 4G`s packages, Wi-Fi, etc.  A large number of internet users in Pakistan meet this via mobile phones. The total users of mobile phones in Pakistan as surveyed in 2016 is 131.41 million.

   Pakistan is the world`s those countries that are still underdeveloped. The word “Under Develop” Indicates to needs of more efficiency and progression and to fulfill these tasks, the government must be connected with the citizens of the state and this possible through modern Information technology system or E-Governance.   

         In the UK, for exiting from EU the government decided to know the discerns of their nation by electronic voting, also called ‘BREXIT VOTE”. Thousands of people actively participated and used this right and suggested government for exiting from European Union

Similarly, here are the many other things, which are now becoming faster, accessible, and technological. It has turned into the necessity of time and it is changing the world in a global village.

DIGITALIZATION IN GOVERNMENT:

E-Government could make easy access to citizens. But those who don`t have technology access can’t get gain from it. Because E-Government will provide E-services which need “Technology” to access.

Here are some examples of it.

  Ali lived in the village with his mother and father. No education, health, justice, and other needs are available in his village. His parents crop the reaps and sow seeds like Rice, banana, gram, etc for the whole country. The government has introduced Electronic systems for whole departments. Unluckily, those who don` have the technology, are not part of this system because the whole system is based on “Technological structure”.

  One day, the father of Ali got a high illness. No doctor and hospital were there for urgent treatment. They were very underprivileged and could not meet the expenditures of the hospital thus his mother decided to move towards the city and to sell their pet animals. Now they were in the city, they went to the hospital where the doctors were absent. The mother of Ali was shocked because she didn`t know about it even a bit. At the same time, his father had passed away. The issue was that if they would have technology access, they could easily find the hospital where the doctors were present and due to unavailability, Ali lost his Father. Whether the government had the system of checking the availability of Doctors and Patients but due to not access Ali and his family couldn`t get any benefit from it.

RISKS WITH  E-GOVERNMENT:

      Digitalization is the need of time today. But unluckily it has marked question on privacy and security of the human race. Previously data was sorted out offline but now after digitalization, computers, and websites, which provide access without any troubleshooting, do the work. The easy access of data creating many problems like hacking, Viruses security risks, etc.  In recent times, around 150 countries included china has become the prey of the largest cyber assault. The hackers have stolen significant information, files, and demanding a huge pay for rescuing them against it with thread.

     In the same way, before some months, the Web site of Aligarh University in India was hacked though the websites enable for making out information to the public across the world instead to visit the place. However, it creates also unsecure conditions for seclusion. The Google shows millions of websites in just a click but it also controls the eye mean what we see, Google is seeing. The records of privacy can be accessed also.

       Some criminals attack in the course of “mail bombing”. In this, a great number of emails are sent to people and if they reply, then hackers overwhelm on the complete personal details. Although the websites and social accounts have, the importance it can discourage privacy policy because the cyber attackers hack the IP addresses, router information at ease to reach the records.

       In e-governance, if government uploads all information, projects` details, etc, anybody can get it and the combative groups can use it for any blasts or other activities. We have seen the Election commission of Pakistan website had been hacked which is harmful to the policy of any state.

      In today`s world the jobs are announced/ posted on sites. We cannot obtain fake or fact. We see many fake companies which offer jobs through websites and make fool to people. If a candidate goes for the post to be interviewed. The situation can be unsecure and different rather than as per information. In past girls had been harassed and raped owing to fake jobs and because of the financial loss of citizens.  They collect personal details and important documentation that promote the human`s smuggling. It is the very biggest issue in which the self of a male/female seems as target. I think the self-privacy is cordial than all.

 If a student has no Technology reach, he cannot avail from E-Education services like online documentation, Online result etc. Consequently, he will go back.

   The E-police couldn`t serve for the people with no access to Technology. Because they couldn`t get registered their FIRs. If there will any agitations/complaints about the behavior of Police, Any Thread, or if they will have the information concerning any illegal activities, dubious persons, crimes and other militant wings, The people couldn`t share information.

 The E-Business will be also possible through technology. Without it, societies cannot find any advantage from it.

The digitalization will not give any existence to without technology society as I have mentioned above some examples. However, the areas which have access and the people of underdeveloped, move from distance also, due to financial disorders and incapability, couldn`t get any benefit with E-government`s services.

        Pakistan has the vision to digitalize Health, Education, Commerce, Employment, Judiciary systems, etc. sectors. So, the citizens could avail maximally.  According to the year 2016, the number of internet users in Pakistan is 34,342,400 means 17.8% of the population uses the internet through different sources like 3 and 4G`s packages, Wi-Fi, etc.  A large number of internet users in Pakistan meet this via mobile phones. The total users of mobile phones in Pakistan as surveyed in 2016 is 131.41 million.

       Whether Pakistan will adopt the completely digitalized system without in rural areas, it means it neglects approximately 50,588 villages` citizens because they are poor and unaware, could not afford the services of the modernized world. Whereas they don`t have pure and clean water for drinking. The government will have to initiate the system for villages. It will make available all the digitalization programs at their doorstep. As we know how many problems, they face, while with help of mobile phones and internet access they can easily resolve their issues like Health, Education, Jobs, Business, Agriculture, Justice and could use their right for the better election of the regime. 

       The difference in mobile phone ownership between urban and ruler areas as compared to 94.7% compared to 83% respectively. However, the difference in the percentage of households that have an internet connection is notable, with 17.4% of urban homes having access. There are no ample incentives and regulatory measures from the government and it is to create an environment for attracting investment for services in rural areas also. Consequently, the government could achieve the goal of digitalization in Pakistan properly.