ISLAMABAD, June 14: Information Technology Minister Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari on Monday directed the Pakistan Computer Bureau (PCB) to come up with a project aimed at inter-linking about 1,200 police stations of the country.

This plan would help improve police performance and the overall law and order situation, he said while presiding over a meeting attended by senior officials of the ministry and attached departments, at his office here.

He directed the PCB to prepare the plan for inter-linking all police stations of the country through VSAT or any other affordable technology. The minister said that once the project was completed, it would enable police stations to share criminal record that would go a long way in tracking down hardened criminals besides bringing down the level of crimes, he said.

"Our police face considerable constraints in tracking down relevant data and criminal record, but this project would enable them to access all relevant information without any hassle," he said.

Awais Leghari said his ministry was also planning a number of other projects particularly targeting provision of information and content in local languages, exploring the channels of services delivery for rural masses and requirement of public key infrastructure for e-government and e-commerce.

He said the ministry had also taken up a project to facilitate processing Haj applications electronically. "We are also establishing an electronic link among all departments and agencies (including banks and government departments) for this purpose," he added.

The ministry, he said, had also planned a project titled 'Access to Laws' to address the issue of lack of access to latest statutes and case law by providing the facility of personal computers and web-based access to statutes and case laws through the district bar associations throughout the country.

The minister also said that in the area of direct citizen services at district level, a pilot project for e-services at Islamabad was also being initiated.

It would provide the basic infrastructure within three entities, Capital Development Authority, Islamabad police and ICT chief commissioners office to enable them to facilitate different services to the residents of Islamabad. -APP