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Pakistan has registered a remarkable improvement in the newly released United Nations E-Government Development Index (EGDI) 2024, ranking 136 up from 150 in the 2022 rating.
This leap is a turning point for any country as it shifts to the ‘High EGDI category’ from the ‘Middle EGDI category’ for the first time. This signifies the Pakistan government’s continuous endeavor to build up its digital government services to emulate its citizens’ demands.
Pakistan’s E-Government Development Index value has increased to 0.5095 which is still a significantly greater number as compared to the 0.42380 observed in 2022.
Nevertheless, it is still lower than that of world-advanced nations, say Denmark with an EGDI value of 0.9847. As observed in many developed nations, regional leaders including Singapore (0.969), and the Maldives (0.6745), this upward trend denotes a huge improvement in the nation’s digital governance index.
Pakistan has made notable strides in E-Participation, now holding the 88th position with a value of 0.49 percent, a marked improvement from its earlier 106th place and a value of 0.36 in 2022. In contrast, neighboring India occupies the 97th spot, boasting an E-Government Development Index value of 0.66 alongside an E-Participation Index value of 0.65750.
Minister of State for IT and Telecom, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, thanked the Prime Minister for his continued support in e-government for the last two years.
She pointed out that this progress cannot be attributed to the government’s initiative alone, but a combined result of a multi-sector approach.
Shaza Fatima Khawaja praised the National Information Technology Board (NITB), along with Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) for the role it played as the focal organization to spearhead the agenda of E-Governance within the Government of Pakistan.
Some of the trends in digital governance of Pakistan are not just a result of numbers, but it is a vision for the new Pakistan; a transparent, effective, and inclusive government.
In the long run, the concerns to enhance digital infrastructure and services in Pakistan will result in increased citizen engagement and better delivery of services, thus driving the country’s economy.
As the country is progressing towards technological advancement and more specifically towards innovation in recent years, the future of e-Governance in Pakistan seems to be bright to empower the nation and make it more connected.
