NA body told govt officers still using WhatsApp for official communication

ISLAMABAD: The government officials are not only using WhatsApp for official communication but also do not use government-provided emails, which is dangerous.

This was revealed before the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication which met under the chairmanship of Syed Aminul Haque.

The committee discussed, “The Establishment of Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal Bill, 2024” (Government Bill) in detail.

The representative from Ministry of Law and Justice briefly apprised the committee that under Rule of Business the constitution of all the tribunals are purely the subject of Ministry of Law and Justice.

While briefing about the procedure for appointment of chairpersons for the said tribunal, he told the committee that Ministry of Law and Justice publish advertisement in the newspaper and thereafter the Search Committee headed by Grade 20 Officer in the Ministry of Law and Justice scrutinise the candidature as per prescribed criteria.

The Search Committee short-listed the candidates and forwarded it to the Federal Council headed by the law minister and two federal secretaries as its members, interviews the short-listed candidates and forwards its recommendations to the federal cabinet, which then appoints a chairperson and members of tribunals.

The committee agreed with the representative of the Ministry of Law and Justice and thereafter, unanimously, passed, “The Establishment of Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal Bill, 2024” without any amendment.

The committee expressed concern that E-Office has been launched for last four years, and still not been properly implemented within the ministries, even though, the Prime Minister has also conducted a meeting on it to clarify the methodology and removal of barriers towards paperless environment.

The federal minister expressed that ministry initiated steps for its implementation and this system should start from the top level which is federal secretaries and ministers and then it will automatically be implemented step by step downwards to digitise the entire system.

Further, she said that it is very important to align all the ministries to play their role for implementing E-office within all ministries and offices to promote paperless environment and improve efficiency. The committee also recommended that the ministry may devise a policy to ensure the security of official correspondence and documents.

The committee was further briefed by the chairman NITB, regarding the launching of Apostille application on the request of Foreign Office to cater the needs of overseas employees and their documents processing.

The committee stressed upon the need of said application and directed them to ensure its launching within 15 days so that the problems and difficulties faced by them could be resolved, immediately.

The committee further expressed that the basic mandate of the ministry is to formulate policies and vision and the ministry should collaborate with the Provincial Ministers for Information Technology regarding implementation of these policies in other provinces.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024