PM launches web portal for citizen engagement

Prime Minister Imran Khan yesterday termed his government’s ‘Pakistan Citizen Portal’ a medium for “a quantum change” that enables citizens to have a say in the running of the country by registering their complaints/suggestions online.

Addressing delegates at a ceremony to launch the initiative, the prime minister said the portal was one of the manifestations of ‘Naya Pakistan’ in which the people would get a sense to own the government.

He said the previous politicians had failed to change the colonial mindset and had continued to treat the people as a subjugated class. As a result, the public’s expectations of government fell to ver low levels.

But according to the prime minister, the time to change that is now, with his administration eager to ensure that government offices and officers serve the people.

Timely responses

The initiative allows citizens to raise their complaints online, with the Prime Minister’s Office ensuring the timely responses of the concerned departments and offices respond.

Imran said the idea, the first of its kind in the country, will see about 4,000 government offices interconnected.

He expressed confidence that the programme would help the government to make policies based upon public feedback and suggestions, and that their opinion would be a springboard for such policies.

Imran said it was regrettable that the wealthy and influential could be guaranteed that their complaints would be addressed while the ordinary man on the street could not.

He added that it is vital to change the mindset of government functionaries to improve governance in the country, adding that through easy access to the web portal by all and sundry, the politicians, ministers and government functionaries had been made accountable.