PM launches 'Pakistan Citizens Portal' to improve governance

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday launched a public complaint cell, Pakistan Citizens’ Portal, to hear and address people’s problems.

Speaking at the launch of the portal in the capital, the prime minister said the government is going to become answerable to the people of the country for the first time.

The portal is an app through which denizens can send their complaints to the departments concerned.

“Every week I will get complaints from across Pakistan and we all will be held accountable through this system,” he said, adding that the system will help the government know what the people think or what they want.

What is going on in all provinces will also be known via this system, said the premier.

He said Pakistanis, at home and abroad, will be able to contact the prime minister. In developed countries, policies are formulated on the basis of people’s voice and this system will give a voice to expats, he added.

“People ask where is Naya Pakistan. This is Naya Pakistan,” said the premier. “Naya Pakistan will come into being when people will rely on the system.”

He said foreign investment is essential to steer the country out of the current economic crisis.

Mr Khan said his government is working to improve the governance system. He said indigenous development of the app is commendable and it showed old colonial mindset has been uprooted and replaced with accountability for all including government officials, politicians and public servants.

He said this app will enable the government to understand the performance of ministries and departments. Besides, he said, future policies will be made after getting public response and feedback.

Mr Khan said the system of reward and punishment has been introduced in public sector and that promotions of government servants will also be judged on the basis of their performance.

The portal has been set up at the Prime Minister’s Office with an aim to timely address complaints of the people and get their feedback. The PM Office will oversee the process of resolution of public complaints and implementation of recommendations thereof.

Issues related to human rights, corruption, land grabbing, bureaucracy and others can be reported directly to the prime minister through the complaint cell and he will subsequently issue directives for their resolution.

All departments concerned will be bound to take immediate action following complaints forwarded by the countrymen.

“Delay in solution of problems will not be tolerated at any cost, problems will be solved with immediate effect,” said PM Khan in a statement a day earlier.

In its first 100 days of governance, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has taken a number of steps for the well-being of its people, wherein few notable measures include austerity drive, 5-year plan for polio eradication, plantation and cleanliness campaigns, clean and green Pakistan and Naya Pakistan housing program.