November 6, 2003	Thursday	Ramazan 10, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 5: The government websites especially related to the economic ministries and divisions are outdated, lack appropriate information and in many cases require a lot of editing.

This was stated in a latest report submitted to the economic coordination committee (ECC) of the cabinet on Nov 1, 2003.

The report prepared by the Planning Commission suggested that the official portal “pakistan.gov.pk”, a single uniform resource locator, being maintained by the e-government directorate of the information technology division, has a weak search function.

The coordination body in its meeting of Oct 25, 2003, had asked the commission to submit the report on the access, coverage and contents of these websites.

The Planning Commission visited the sites of 15 ministries, divisions, five autonomous bodies and attached departments on Oct 30, 2003, at 2:45pm and found that all websites were easily accessible except that of the railways division. It was having some technical fault.

The data coverage of majority of websites, it said, was generally inadequate, though tender notices, job opportunities and frequently asked questions were also available online.

Only the websites of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) were found updated, the report said, but other websites vary in giving current information. Though there were no cases of dead websites, a number of them were slow-moving and in some cases lacked latest material.

About the SBP, the report said, though policies, circulars and rules were on the website simultaneously, the final accounts of external debt announced by the State Bank governor in the last ECC were yet to be made available online.

The latest labour force survey of the FBS was on the website on the day it was issued, besides it was current on all indicators, surveys and reports. However, the last Pakistan Income Household Survey (PIHS) was not put on the site while the next one was not “in sight”. Some other major surveys were also running late.

About the commerce division, the report said, the site does not give any trade data, nor was it linked with the main data generating divisions. The link with the Pakistan mission at the WTO is mentioned, but is not accessible. There is no coverage of news.

The website of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) contains the annual report of the SBP for 2001-02, as a new report. Key indicators and export targets on display also are related to 2001-02.

About the National Highway Authority (NHA), it pointed out that the latest news dates back to May 22, 2003, and continues to give the expected completion date of July 2003, for the already completed motorway M-3.

On the economic affairs division, the report said the website contains no information on the flow of aid and its utilization, besides external debt was not mentioned while the National Savings Organization was given among its few important links with other websites. The obvious linkage with the planning and development division is not indicated.

The finance division have two websites. The first of the finance division through the official portal and the other directly accessible website of the ministry of finance. The finance division website displays economic survey 2001-02, and an outdated economic situation. A mention is made of the now defunct Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (I-PRSP) the implementation committee of which is still shown to be headed by Secretary-General Moeen Afzal. Data on the domestic debt stock do not go beyond March 31, 2002.

The website of the industries and production division is current on production data, but displays Trade Policy of 2002-03. It also displays an interesting booklet on “Cost of Doing Business”, but most of the costs mentioned now need revision while it is time-consuming to look it as each page has to be clicked separately.

The website of the labour, manpower and overseas Pakistanis division, shows most of the information of Labour Force Survey 1999-2000.

The Ministry of Information Technology is current on policies and news, but not on its projects’ details.

There is no mention of progress on the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2003-04, on the website of the planning and development division, besides no field-monitoring reports are displayed.

About the privatization division, the report said, though a lot of information on policies, procedures and past privatizations was given on the site, it lacks current information. The recent offer of sale of shares of the Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC) was not reported at all.

The revenue division gives tax data up to 2001-02, but the latest figures of monthly and quarterly collection are not displayed. The return form of wealth tax, now abolished, is still displayed and can be downloaded.

The Board of Investment repeats the earlier-mentioned outdated publication, “Cost of doing business”, while the latest data displayed on investment relates to 2000-01.

The website of the water and power division requires careful editing of the material displayed. The Wapda website displays Kalabagh and Bhasha as ongoing projects, whereas the power wing gives no figures on electricity consumption. There is also not much on the financial position either, the report concludes.