Achievements of Information Technology Department ... - Sindh.gov.pk

IT FOR ALL 

Achievements of 

Information Technology 

Department, Government 

of Sindh for the Period 

2008-2010 

February 

2011

Publication Date: February 2011 

This publication has been designed and edited by Habib University of Foundation 

for Information Technology Department, Government of Sindh 

Information Technology Department 

Government of Sindh

Table of Contents 

• Message of Quaid-e-Tehrik, Founder and 

Leader, Muttahida Qaumi Movement 

Pakistan 

• Message from the Governor of Sindh, 

Dr. Ishrat-ul Ebad Khan 

• Message from the Chief Minister 

of Sindh 

• Message of Minister for Information 

Technology 

• Profile for Minister of Information 

Technology, Government of Sindh 

• About Information Technology 

Department, Government of Sindh 

• Achievements of IT Department 

• IT for Better Governance and Management: 

Enhancing Effectiveness and Efficiency 

• IT for Enhanced Communication: Creating 

Valuable and Fast Communication Channels 

• IT for Wider Information Dissemination and 

Advocacy: Putting Government of Sindh on 

the Worldwide Web 

• IT for a Globalized World: Establishing IT 

City 

• IT for Youth and Professionals: 

Implementing Capacity Building Programs 

• Pictorial Representation of Milestones 

Achieved by IT Department 

• Future Plans and Goals 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

16 

19 

21 

23 

29 

32 

1

Message of Quaid-e-Tehrik, Founder and Leader, 

Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan 

In the past, there was a distinct absence of 

Information Technology, as a result of which people 

from one geographical area remained uninformed 

of incidents occurring in other parts of the world. 

Today’s world has seen significant advancement in 

scientific research and Information Technology, 

resulting in the speedy delivery of global information 

and developments to wherever we are within a 

matter of nanoseconds. With the help of television, 

radio, internet and email, all political, economic and 

geographical changes are instantly broadcasted 

throughout the world. Information and 

Communication Technology (ICT) have changed the 

pace of the world and are influencing the way we 

lead our lives. ICT is an integral part of our daily life, 

and we should pay special attention to acquiring 

education in this field in order to come closer to 

developed countries. I urge the youth of Pakistan, 

particularly students, to take a keen interest in 

Information and Communication Technology, as this 

is an indispensible factor in today’s world. 

ALTAF HUSSAIN 

2

Message from the Governor or Sindh, Dr. Ishrat-ul Ebad Khan 

I am delighted to see the Information Technology 

Department taking vital steps in the field of 

Information Technology, with special focus on 

making Sindh an IT-enabled province. I feel that 

extensive use of Information Technology is needed 

for the rapid progress of the province. I am very 

confident that the future of IT and 

Telecommunication in Pakistan is extremely bright 

as our country is adopting e-governance quite 

rapidly. We are looking for a paperless government 

environment, which has been created by the Sindh 

IT Department through the implementation of 

several important projects including e-Government, 

e-Policing, Video Conferencing, HMIS and Biometrics 

Identification Electronic System. 

I admire the sense of responsibility and sheer hard 

work of Mohammad Raza Haroon, the young IT 

Minister of Sindh along with his team. The 

Department has achieved significant milestones in 

a very short period and has introduced pioneering 

IT-enabled services in Sindh. 

It is a healthy activity to publish progress/ 

achievement reports periodically and I wish Sindh 

IT Department every success in the future. I sincerely 

hope for the continuous progress of the Department, 

and that future projects are implemented with 

similar pace and alacrity. My support and 

cooperation are with the IT Department for the 

promotion and penetration of ICT in the province 

of Sindh. 

DR. ISHRAT-UL EBAD KHAN 

3

Message from the Chief Minister of Sindh 

I am glad that the Sindh Information Technology 

Department is publishing a report regarding its 

achievements during the last three years. The present 

century is an era of Information and Communication 

Technology, and IT has revolutionised every area of 

life. Shaheed Mohtrama always greatly asserted the 

importance of taking advantage of Information 

Technology. 

The Sindh IT Department is emphasizing the 

implementation of the e-Government system in all 

government departments, and is creating awareness 

amongst citizens regarding the use of electronic 

data. We are keen to implement an IT resource base 

that can be optimally utilised in the public sector. 

For this purpose, we are in liaison with all concerned 

quarters for the implementation of several important 

projects through the IT Department which include 

Video Conferencing in Sindh, E-Government Sukkur, 

e-Policing in Sindh, Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth 

Development Program and others. 

I wish the Sindh IT Department all the best in its 

future endeavours. May it continue to deliver ITenabled 

service delivery to the citizens of Sindh. 

QAIM ALI SHAH 

4

Message of Minister for Information Technology 

The Information Technology Department, 

Government of Sindh is releasing a publication 

highlighting some of its achievements and 

milestones for the period 2008-2010. This document 

meticulously covers the adventurous journey the IT 

Department has undergone in accomplishing its 

goals, and records the milestones achieved by the 

Department. 

In this modern era, Information and Communication 

Technology is the backbone of any organisation. It 

is indispensible and plays an active role in today’s 

dynamic environment. Exemplified by its remarkable 

performance and historical achievements, the 

Information Technology Department has proven to 

be the backbone of Government of Sindh. It is these 

achievements which have been documented in 

these pages. 

I wish the Sindh IT Department and its team success 

in its future endeavours, and look forward to seeing 

periodic publications like this one which encapsulate 

the achievements of this department. 

MOHAMMAD RAZA HAROON 

5

Profile of Minister for Information 

Technology, Government of Sindh 

His Excellency Mr. Mohammad Raza Haroon, Minister 

for Information Technology Sindh, Pakistan 

completed his primary and secondary education in 

Karachi, and obtained a degree from University of 

Karachi. He then received specialised education in 

the field of IT. 

Drawing inspiration from the vision and mission of 

Mr. Altaf Hussain, the Founder-Leader of MQM, 

(Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Pakistan) and being 

a candidate of the same political party, Mr. Haroon 

was elected as Member of Provincial Assembly of 

Sindh, Pakistan on 18th February, 2008. He then 

became Minister for Information Technology, Sindh 

in May 2008. Since his appointment, he has devoted 

his energy and time towards uplifting the IT 

Department by infusing it with creativity and 

innovation, making it a change agent for the citizens 

of the Sindh province. He has made the department 

a facilitator in promoting IT awareness among the 

public by inspiring essential lifestyle changes and 

providing IT services to them. Mr. Haroon believes 

in the provision of IT for everyone, paying special 

attention to the youth, the underprivileged and rural 

communities of Sindh. With this, he is constantly on 

the lookout for emerging talent and seizing new 

opportunities in the province. 

Under Mr. Haroon’s able and visionary leadership, 

the various departments of the Sindh Government 

have been interlinked through effective 

coordination. The IT Department facilitates other 

departments in achieving the goals of their 

respective Ministries. 

6

About Information Technology 


Our Vision 

The rapid development of a knowledge-based 

society is vital to the success of and progress of the 

province. 

Our Mission 

It is our mission to act as the enabler to build a 

knowledge-based society in all spheres of human 

activity ranging from: industry, academia, 

administration to governance. 

Our Priority Areas 

1. Introduction of IT at all levels of government to 

improve efficiency and transparency to provide 

quality services. 

2. Adoption of a modular approach to achieve the 

goal of establishing an e-government. 

3. Replacement of physical file system with 

electronic filing through the use of the internet 

and intranet in Government Departments. 

4. Computer and office automation training for the 

management and Secretariat staff of Sindh 

Government. 

5. Development of a provincial database for framing 

different policies by the Government of Sindh. 

6. To make IT literacy a mandatory feature for all 

future employment in Government Departments. 

7

Achievements of 

IT Department 

The IT Department has numerous accomplishments 

to its name in the period 2008-2010. The Department 

undertook several projects during this period, each 

of which can be classified under five themes. These 

themes correspond to the aspirations set under 

priority areas, and are as follows: 

1. IT for Better Governance and Management: 

Enhancing Effectiveness and Efficiency 

2. IT for Enhanced Communication: Creating Valuable 

and Fast Communication Channels 

3. IT for Wider Information Dissemination and 

Advocacy: Putting Government of Sindh on the 

World Wide Web 

4. IT for a Globalised World: Establishing IT City 

5. IT for Youth and Professionals: Implementing 

Capacity Building Programmes

IT for Better Governance and 

Management: Enhancing 

Effectiveness and Efficiency 

Under this theme, the IT department took initiatives 

to create better management and governance 

systems using IT tools and frameworks in order to 

create effective, efficient and transparent systems 

of managing various aspects of Government services. 

The following projects were undertaken in this 

regard: 

1. Computerisation of the Department of Advocate 

General Sindh including Field Offices 

2. E-Government Sukkur 

3. E-Policing System in Sindh 

4. Hospital Management Information System for 

Civil Hospital Karachi 

5. Biometric Identification Electronic System Phase I 

6. E-Government: Pilot Project for Government Of 

Sindh 

7. Introduction of IT in District Administration 

8. Development of Human Resource Management 

System for Government of Sindh 

The aforementioned projects are described in the 

following pages. 

9

Computerisation of the Department 

of Advocate General Sindh 

including Field Offices 

The IT Department began the process of 

computerising the Department of Advocate General 

Sindh and Field Offices in FY 2007-08. The project 

was successfully launched at the Governors’ House 

and implemented at various offices including 

Advocate General Sindh located in Karachi, 

Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana. 

By computerising these offices, the following 

features have now been made available: 

• Availability of Local Area Network facility 

• Interconnectivity of remote offices via secure 

connection 

• Central server nuclei established at head offices 

in Karachi 

• Following software programs have been 

introduced: 

• Library Management System 

• Case Diary Management System 

• Time Management System 

• File Tracking and Monitoring System 

• Messaging and Collaboration System 

As a part of this program, the support staff and end 

users have undergone extensive training to facilitate 

smooth running of the system and infrastructure. 

Project Chronology 

• Project Approved: FY 2005-06 

• Contract Awarded: FY 2007-08 

• Project Completion Date: June 2010 

10

E-Government Sukkur 

Advantages of the System 

With a new digitised system, the 

District Government has saved 

considerable resources and 

enjoys enhanced productivity. 

Correspondence and file transfer 

between Talukas and the DCO 

office previously took a long 

time, as opposed to the 

introduction of real-time 

methods. Additionally, an 

organised record and recovery 

system is in place, providing 

critical backup of important 

documents. 

The IT Department has established a 

Management Information System (MIS) 

to aid the District Government of 

Sukkur. The basic objective of the 

project is to facilitate and improve 

productivity and performance of 

District Government Sukkur. For this 

purpose, the Department is 

implementing a Management 

Information Systems (MIS) and IT 

infrastructure in the form of hardware 

and networking in district government 

offices to implement MIS solutions. 

E-Government Sukkur project was 

inaugurated by the IT Minister on 25 

January 2010, and the project was 

handed over to District Government 

Sukkur. The project provides all relevant 

modules required by the District 

Government for accomplishing its 

objectives and service delivery 

including issuance of digitised 

Domiciles and PRCs. 




• Project Completed: June 2009 

11

“Previously the system was 

completely manual and we 

maintained twenty-two registers 

to record various details of our 

activities. With everything 

digitised, our records are more 

accessible, organized and secure.” 

SHO from a local police station 

E-Policing System in Sindh 

The Department has conceived a development 

scheme to modernise the Police Department by 

infusing it with IT enabled services. The “E-Policing 

System in Sindh” aims to provide connectivity and 

smooth information inflow to police stations, the 

central police office, prisons and the Home 

Department. The scheme aims to propel law 

enforcement agencies to function more effectively 

and efficiently through the application of latest IT 

tools and techniques. 

In the first phase of the scheme, a computerised call 

centre has been implemented. Madadgar 15, is a 

call centre which facilitates tracking and 

communication with emergency vehicles including 

police mobiles, ambulances and fire brigades. For 

this purpose, tenders have been established which 

will be implemented shortly. 

A comprehensive Prison Management System for 

all prisons of Sindh is in process, and will be partially 

implemented in the current fiscal year. An RFP for a 

Police ERP has been disseminated in order to equip 

Sindh Police with latest IT solutions. 

Additionally, as a part of the E-Policing scheme, a 

Traffic Management System has been instituted: 200 

surveillance cameras have been installed at 40 

significant locations. These cameras are providing 

real-time information of vehicular traffic to the Traffic 

Police. Although the system is not specifically 

designed for the purpose of crime detection, it is 

providing credible information and assistance to 

the police for the purpose of crime investigation. 

12 





(Tentative) 

The scheme is also facilitating Traffic Police through 

an e-Driver’s License with Traffic Violation 

Management System. An FM radio channel is also 

being established to provide guidance and 

information to commuters. The channel will be an 

important management tool to Traffic Police. 

Currently, the process is being tendered and will be 

introduced during the current fiscal year.

Hospital Management Information 

System, Civil Hospital Karachi 

Introduction: 

To streamline tasks at Civil Hospital Karachi, the IT 

Department has introduced a valuable Hospital 

Management Information System (HMIS). HMIS has 

enabled the provision of efficient health care services 

to patients and visitors. Hospital activities ranging 

from purchasing and procurement of hospital 

supplies to scheduling duties and channelising 

resources will be smoothly managed by the system. 

The HMIS is serving hospitals not 

only in Karachi, but also in other 

parts of Sindh and adjoining 

areas of Baluchistan. 

The Hospital Management 

Information System is an 

integrated system, featuring online 

full automation and support 

for real-time updates. 

Through the HMIS tool, existing hospital procedures 

will be reengineered in order to assist the 

management in planning, monitoring, 

implementing, assuring quality maintenance, 

efficiency and productivity. The project will help to 

achieve: 

• Efficiency and transparency via e-governance 

• Good governance in the hospital 

• Optimum use of both technical and human 

resources 

• Efficient planning and forecasting through 

database 

• Connectivity with national and international 

healthcare organizations 

• Improved and efficient retrieval of medical data 

• Maltreatment control 

• Maintaining historical data of patients and 

ensuring its timely availability 

• Addressing all critical areas of health care activities 

Presently, 27 modules have been released, and the 

process for introducing the remaining modules is 

underway. The Outpatient Department and Patient 

Admission Department are being completely 

managed through the HMIS, which has greatly 

facilitated hospital management. Efficiency and 

transparency of the system can be gauged from the 

fact that OPD of the hospital has been reduced from 

an average of 6,500 – 7,000 patients per day to 

approximately 2,500 – 3,000 patients per day after 

computerisation. 





13

Biometric Identification Electronic 

System - Phase I 

This project is currently in its 

implementation stage, and is expected 

to be completed by June 2011. The 

objective of the project is to improve 

the productivity of various Secretariat 

Departments of Sindh Government by 

ensuring that all employees arrive at 

work on time and spend the required 

time at work. 

The project will ensure that all 

Departments and Offices have a 

uniform measure of authentication and 

that physical access to various blocks 

in Sindh Secretariat are limited. It also 

aims to ensure a uniform, centrallysupported 

system for tracking the 

movement of all staff and visitors as 

well. 

In Phase I, the scope of the system is to 

implement IRIS-based identification 

system in Governor’s House, Chief 

Minister’s House and also around 42 

Departments of Sindh Secretariat. 





14

E-Government: Pilot Project 

for Government Of Sindh 

Introduction of Information 

Technology in District Administration 

The following are the prime 

objectives of the project: 

• Establishing LAN/WAN 

infrastructure 

• Providing interconnectivity of 

Secretariat through optic fiber 

cables. The service will be provided 

to buildings 1, 2 and 6, and 

barracks of Finance Department 

• Providing 200 Computers and 

relevant accessories to beneficiary 

departments i.e. Health, Education, 

Finance, Planning & Development 

and SGA and CD 

• Developed customized software 

aligned to e-Government 

• Directorate's Framework for 

assisting e-governance 

• E-Office 

• Electronic Procurement System 

• HRMIS 

• Project Management System 

• Budgeting and Financing 

System 

Under this project, the IT Department aims to 

facilitate and improve productivity and performance 

of District Government offices in Sindh. The 

Department is providing and implementing a 

Management Information Systems (MIS) and 

installing the necessary infrastructure required for 

this purpose (hardware and network setup). The 

project is being implemented in two phases. During 

the first phase, the project will be piloted in five 

districts namely Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad, 

Ghotki, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas. The first phase 

will be completed by June 2011. 

The project has several important features, in which 

the ordinary citizen’s life will be made easy through 

IT-enabled services, as information of several District 

Government Departments will be easily accessible. 

People across the province will be able to 

communicate with one another easily, and get their 

work done at several offices without being physically 

present. 

Under this project, 250 computers have been 

distributed among designated districts. Additionally, 

the following customised software is being installed: 

• Human Resource Management Information 

System 

• Budget, Financing and Monitoring Module 

• Project Management Module 

• Electronic office 

• Birth and Death Registration 

• Arms License 

• Domicile/PRC Automation 

• Education Management Module 





15

IT for Enhanced Communication: 

Creating Valuable and Fast 

Communication Channels 

Under this theme, IT Department is facilitating 

Government of Sindh to use effective 

communication tools to enhance efficiency and 

reduce communication gaps. Projects under this 

theme are enabling various departments of the 

Government to save time and effectively share and 

exchange information with one another. The 

following projects were undertaken under this 

theme: 

1. Establishment of Intranet Setup for Government 

of Sindh 

2. Establishing Video Conferencing System in Sindh 

The aforementioned projects are described in depth 

in the following pages. 

16

Establishment of Intranet Setup for 

Government of Sindh 

In 2005, a project titled “Establishment of Intranet 

Setup for Government of Sindh” was approved. The 

project aims to establish a nucleus for providing 

network services to Secretariat Departments of 

Government of Sindh, enabling them to 

communicate and share information through a 

secured network. 

The project has been successfully developed and 

implemented in over 30 departments, with 

approximately 1,500 users in Sindh Secretariat 

having access to the system. Benefits of the system 

include intranet, internet, a software library, webbased 

file sharing, downloading/uploading 

resources and other related services. 

End users are being facilitated through this system 

through a competent support team. This team is 

comprised of skilled officials who provide technical 

support to users including hardware and software 

troubleshooting, network management and internet 

connectivity issues. 

Objectives of Intranet Setup 

• To improve data collection, 

storage, verification, 

dissemination and file transfer 

between headquarters and 

field offices without using the 

internet 

• Providing the latest 

information to users 

With this network, the IT 

Department is moving beyond 

an “Island of Information” 

towards a more collaborative 

network, serving 30 

departments of Sindh Secretariat 

More than 1,400 nodes are 

available through this network 

Quality Maintenance Features 

of the Intranet System 

• User registration form records 

• Server status log 

• Official entry log to server 

room 

• Complaint/Request form for 

users 

• Feedback/Comments 

• Hardware and software 

troubleshooting 

• Network management 

services 





17

Project Outcomes 

• Improved quality of work 

• Increased productivity and 

efficiency levels 

• Reduced traveling costs 

• Advancement of electronic 

communication 

• Ability to arrange online 

meetings with higher-ups 

without traveling to other 

locations 

• Ability to arrange critical 

meetings in a short period of 

time 

• Save public money 

• Bolster community spirit and 

facilitate group work among 

geographically distant 

teammates 

By implementing this system, 

Government of Sindh is saving 

Rs. 348 million per year in 

traveling costs 





Establishment of Video 

Conferencing System in Sindh 

Information Technology Department is mandated 

to provide an adequate IT-enabled infrastructure to 

facilitate government machinery and improve 

service delivery. In this regard, the Department has 

launched a Video Conferencing System (VCS) in 

Sindh. The system has been established to enhance 

the performance and working capability of the 

public sector by encouraging swift decision-making 

and communication in emergency situations. The 

prime objective of this project is to establish virtual 

face-to-face contact between elected/appointed 

officials. The aim is to boost overall productivity, 

whilst simultaneously saving valuable resources 

such as time and traveling costs. By implementing 

this project, a huge amount of expenses incurred 

on TA/DA of officers is being saved. 

The Information Technology Department is the hub 

which connects the Governor House, Chief Minister’s 

House, Chief Secretary Secretariat, Home 

Department and all 23 District Coordination Offices 

of the province to each other. The system has 

enabled those connected to electronically 

communicate with one another via one-on-on 

secured communication and through a live video 

conferencing mode. Concerned officials can thus 

remain at their office to conduct meetings with 

officials who are not present in their respective cities. 

In this way, concerned officials are more accessible 

to the public, and can dedicate more time to them. 

18

IT for Wider Information 

Dissemination and Advocacy: Putting 

Government of Sindh on the 

Worldwide Web 

Presence on the worldwide web has become an 

essential component for sharing and disseminating 

information globally. Realizing the importance of 

online access to information for effective 

dissemination and advocacy, the IT Department has 

taken the initiative to put various departments of 

Government of Sindh on the internet. The 

Department is also updating their websites 

collaboratively. 

Visit the Portal at 

www.sindh.gov.pk 

Objectives of the Portal 

• To identify and deliver citizencentric 

informational services 

through Information & 

Services 

• To maintain and host the 

portal and websites 

• To put in place an institutional 

post-implementation 

structure for maintenance, 

updating and extension of the 

portal and websites. 

The IT Department has established the Sindh 

Government Portal, which is a gateway to nearly all 

the departments of Government of Sindh. The portal 

is described in detail below. 

19

Websites have been created 

for the following 

Departments: 

Agriculture 

Antiquities 

Auqaf 

Board of Revenue 

Cooperation 

Culture & Tourism 

Education & Literacy 

Environment & Alternate Energy 

Excise & Taxation 

Finance 

Planning & Development 

Health 

Home 

Industries & Commerce 


Information & Archives 

Interprovincial Coordination 

Irrigation & Power 

Labour 

Law 

Live Stock 

Local Government 

Mines & Minerals 

People's Housing Cell 

Population Welfare 

Provincial Assembly 

SGA & CD 

Social Welfare 

Sppra 

Transport 

Wild Life 

Women Development 

Works & Services 

Zakat & Ushr 

Sindh Government Portal 

The Sindh Government Portal project was started 

in 2005 by the IT Department and was successfully 

launched in February 2007. 

The IT Department is providing internet and email 

services to functionaries of Government of Sindh 

through this initiative. Separate websites have also 

been developed for various Administrative 

Departments of Government of Sindh. Each website 

is linked to the main portal to achieve “access to 

information under one URL”. Websites are being 

maintained and updated both by the IT Department 

and respective Administrative Departments. 

The portal makes updated and relevant information 

available to citizens. The portal contains valuable 

information relating to the government including 

lists of cabinet members, secretaries and DCOs with 

their contact details, various notifications, press 

releases, tenders, transfer & posting orders, road 

lists, Sindh Road Network, downloadable forms, 

picture galleries, budgets, online complaint window 

etc. Realizing the need for a secure and reliable 

communication medium amongst Government 

Functionaries, the IT Department has developed an 

emailing system which provides web-based emailing 

facilities to approximately 500 users including 

Governor’s House, Chief Minister’s House, Sindh 

Cabinet, Chief Secretary Secretariat, Administrative 

Secretaries and DCOs across the province. 

External links of various important governmental 

and non-governmental organizations are also placed 

on the portal for the convenience of users. 





20

IT for a Globalised World: 

Establishing IT City 

Rapid revolution of Information Technology has 

made this world a global village. The global village 

has introduced new dimensions of working and 

marketing. Business Process Outsourcing is a 

phenomenon of this revolution. The concept of 

establishing an IT City was considered in order to 

enable the city of Karachi to participate in the 

emerging new phenomena of the IT world, and to 

provide opportunities to the youth of Sindh by 

encouraging them to become part of the global 

market. The project is described in detail below. 

21

Programme Objectives 

• To secure the land parcels and 

prevent encroachment, 

measures are being taken by 

building a barbed-wire fence 

along their boundary area. This 

measure is expected to be 

completed by June 2011. 

• The second objective is to 

develop a comprehensive 

master plan for the city which 

will include a detailed model 

of the project, analysis and 

planning by urban planners, 

environmental and 

infrastructural perspectives, a 

detailed feasibility study and 

an FDI plan. 

Expected Outcomes of IT City: 

• Creating up to 500,000 jobs 

through direct and indirect 

employment 

• Providing technological 

facilities which allow timeless 

artistic and cultural themes to 

flourish 

• Providing a world class 

standard of living to Karachi’s 

residents 

• Developing an 

environmentally friendly city 

which employs sensible 

energy systems and respects 

the ecology of the area 





IT City - Phase I 

The IT Department is undertaking a massive project 

titled “IT City, Karachi”. The Department envisions 

building a “cluster concept” city which will house IT 

infrastructure and facilities. These will help enable 

Sindh to become a regional centre offering ITenabled 

services (ITES) and business process 

outsourcing (BPO) services to major global 

corporations. 

The City will be built on 200 acres of land (in two 

blocks, each covering 100 acres). Such a city will 

bring numerous financial and social benefits to the 

province. 

Financially, the project will… 

• Encourage Foreign Direct Investment 

• Raise revenues from the sale of infrastructural 

facilities 

• Encourage investment in related sectors including 

Power and Water 

• Encourage investment in skill training and 

capacity building 

• Create opportunities for the government to raise 

revenue through taxes 

Socially, the project will…. 

• Impact areas of health, agriculture and education 

• Generate significant direct and indirect 

employment 

• Promote the “green” concept of living, setting a 

precedent for others to follow especially in the 

usage of waste management and power 

conservation techniques 

• Speed up decision-making mechanisms to boost 

overall productivity and optimise opportunities 

Although the project has commenced, its 

implementation has suffered some delays due to 

the late release of funds from the Finance 

Department for the financial year 2010-2011. 

Additionally, the deteriorating law and order 

situation has been a hindrance for foreign investors. 

22

IT for Youth and Professionals: 

Implementing Capacity Building 

Programmes 

Ongoing capacity building of youth and 

professionals is essential to keep a pace with the 

fast growing IT industry. Skilled human resource is 

essential to benefit from the IT tools and 

infrastructure. IT department is cognizant of this 

face and took various initiative in this regard: 

1. IT Resource and Rural Community Internet Centres 

in Sindh 

2. Call Centre Training for Graduates 

3. Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth Development 

Program 

4. MoU with Intel Pakistan Corporation 

5. Intel Pakistan Establishes Computer Labs in 

Educational Institutions 

6. MoU With Microsoft Pakistan 

The aforementioned projects are described in the 

following pages. 

23

Project Goals 

• To provide IT access to local 

communities, consumers and 

business communities 

• To provide IT training to local 

citizens 

• To provide an enabling 

environment to local business 

communities to market 

themselves nationally and 

internationally 

• To facilitate citizens through 

the usage of internet services 

• To provide reliable, 

authenticated, fast and timely 

information to general public, 

students, government 

employees and the business 

community 

• To create employment 

opportunities for jobless 

graduates in the fields of 

computer science and 


• To create a transparent 

governance system while 

making public information 

easily available to users 

“This Centre has made a 

tremendous difference in my life. 

At an affordable rate, I am 

connected to the world and am 

learning and sharing new things 

including cooking tips and hand 

embroidery techniques.” 

A female resident of Larkana 

Establishment of IT Resource and 

Rural Community Internet Centres 

in Sindh 

To create an enabling environment for spreading IT 

resources in rural areas of the country, IT Resource 

and Rural Community Internet Centres have been 

established in 16 remote Talukas of Sindh. These 

include Talhar, Matli, Mithi, Diplo, Umerkot, 

Mirpurkhas, Benazirabad, Khairpur, Larkana, Sehwan, 

Mirpur Mathelo, Obaro, Dharki, Ghotki, Thal and 

Jacobabad. The Centres have enabled the speedy 

flow of information via e-mail and the internet. In 

the rural areas, these centres have played an 

instrumental role in acquiring timely contact within 

the country and abroad. The Department has also 

launched an internet, e-mail and computer literacy 

training programme for local citizens, students and 

government employees. The scope of the project 

mirrors the objectives and vision of the IT policy and 

action plan. 

The project has had a significant impact on the 

targeted rural communities. By setting up such 

centres, more people are being trained to address 

the critical shortage of quality IT and computer 

literate persons in the country. Through the provision 

of quality services, the project has provided reliable, 

authenticated, timely information and connectivity 

to all stakeholders. 





24

Call Centre Training for Graduates 

One of the IT Department’s aims is to equip Pakistan’s 

youth with technical knowhow in the varying fields 

of IT. Keeping this in mind, a programme was 

introduced to jobless and low paid graduates to 

impart to them Call Centre training. The main 

objective of this project was to develop skills in 

1,000 youth in order to equip them for the rapidly 

growing call centre industry. 

To achieve the targeted number of skilled youth, 

the Department outsourced the training to selected 

private sector institutes. Youth were trained in several 

areas, including: 

• Computer usage (basic training) 

• Telephone etiquette 

• Basic marketing skills 

• Communication skills 

Approximately 650 graduates 

are employed, and are working 

at the following organisations: 

Catcos 

Zulcom 

Cosmos Communication 

Cisco Solutions 

Data Link Technologies 

KESC 

Arwentech 

Ensign Communique 





Project Aims 

1. Facilitate the jobless or low 

paid 

graduates/undergraduates to 

learn state-of-the-art Call 

Centre application, operation, 

and management skills. 

2. Encourage offshore Call 

Centre companies to set up 

their offices in Pakistan, 

thereby providing 

employment and foreign 

exchange to the country. 

3. Provide employment 

opportunities to graduates. 

4. Enhance and encourage the 

concept of e-business and e- 

commerce in the private and 

public sectors. 

Youth were trained at the 

following institutes: 

IQRA University 

Cosmos Communication (Pvt) 

Ltd. 

Zulcom 

N.D.C. BPO 

Phonecast (Pvt) Ltd. 

Fast, National University 

Catcos Inc. 

Iternational Learning 

Center(Berlitz Language Centre) 

Arwen Tech (Priv0ate) Ltd. 

Data Link Technologies 

Invaterra 

“This training helped me to 

improve my English 

communication. I was also able 

to polish my presentation skills 

significantly.” 

Call Centre Graduate 

25

Approximately 720 trainees are 

employed at organisations/ 

government departments 

including KESC, Telecom, PTCL 

Cisco Solutions, Server 4 Sale, 

IT Department, GoS 

“Through BBSYDP trainings, I have 

learnt how to make presentations 

and do inventory-related tasks 

and data compilation 

electronically.” 

BBSYDP Trainee 

District 

Karachi 

Hyderabad 

Matiari 

Tando Allahyar 

Tando Muhammad Khan 

Badin 

Thatta 

Dadu 

Jamshoro 

Sukkur 

Khairpur 

Naushero Feroze 

Ghotki 

Benazirabad (Nawab Shah) 

Larkana 

Kamber Shahdadkot 

Shikarpur 

Jacoabad 

Kashmore 

Mirpurkhas 

Umerkot 

Sanghar 

Tharparkar 

Total 

Number 

of Trainees 

1436 

282 

103 

101 

101 

297 

609 

238 

194 

247 

479 

303 

299 

214 

208 

196 

235 

173 

169 

246 

224 

384 

224 

6962 

Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth 

Development Programme 

This project was conceived and implemented in the 

financial year 2009-2010 to produce technical 

manpower in various fields of the IT sector. The main 

objective of the program is to offer unemployed 

youth various skill development opportunities and 

job oriented certification courses to adapt to local 

and international job markets. Under this 

programme, training was outsourced to selected 

training institutions across the province with a 

continuous performance monitoring mechanism in 

place. 

During the first phase of the project, nearly 7,000 

youth were trained and during Phase II 4,200 youth 

were trained. See the chart on the right for a detailed 

district-wise breakdown of Phase I trainees is 

provided below: 

Project Chronology (Phase - I) 



26 

Project Chronology (Phase - II) 


• Project Completed: June 2010

MoU with Intel Pakistan Corporation 

Through the personal efforts of the IT Minister, a 

Memorandum of Understanding was signed with 

Intel Pakistan Corporation on 10 March, 2010. This 

paved the way to facilitate training of master trainers 

in the field of basic computer and intranet usage 

focusing on the rural areas of the province. To date, 

two training sessions have been conducted at 

Hyderabad and Khairpur, where 39 persons have 

been trained in the area of Digital Literacy and have 

earned ‘Master Teacher’ diplomas. Intel has also 

agreed to provide free computer labs in various 

education institutions across the province. 

MoU with Microsoft Pakistan 

In order to make BBSYDP Programme more 

meaningful, the IT Department has partnered with 

global IT giant Microsoft Corporation. A 

Memorandum of Understanding was signed 

between the IT Department and Microsoft in 2008, 

whereby it was agreed that Microsoft Corporation 

would develop the course contents of various 

programmes taught under the banner of BBSPYD. 

The program was successfully completed in 

December 2008, and Microsoft certificates were 

awarded to a large number of students across the 

province. 

27

Intel Pakistan Establishes Computer 

Labs in Educational Institutions 

This initiative was undertaken primarily by Mr. 

Mohammad Raza Haroon, IT Minister, Government 

of Sindh. The Department has partnered with Intel 

to provide computer facilities to middle and low 

income group students of public schools. As a part 

of Intel’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) 

portfolio, 210 P3 computers (160 Class-Made 

Personal Computers and 50 Desktop) have been 

donated worth an amount of Rs. 8 million. The 

computers have been installed at 14 schools across 

the province. 

This initiative is a wonderful example of the personal 

efforts of Mr. Mohammad Raza Haroon, Minister IT 

Sindh. It has saved government resources both in 

fiscal and HR terms, paving the way for a sustainable 

IT solution in providing educational institutions with 

computer technology. This initiative is aimed to 

enhance the computer literacy and internet access 

to youth population from low income groups to 

meet the growing needs of ICT in the modern day 

world, providing them with the opportunity to excel 

in their schools and in today’s world. 

28

Pictorial 

Representation of 

Milestones 

Achieved by IT 

Department

Mr. Mohammad Raza Haroon, IT Minister 

Government of Sindh presenting souvenir to Mr. 

Fathi Etem, Counsel General of Turkey during his visit 

to the IT Department. 

Professor Dr. Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, Vice 

Chancellor, Karachi University and Mr. Mohammad 

Raza Haroon, IT Minister Government of Sindh visit 

a poster exhibition held at Karachi University. 

Group photograph of Mr. Mohammad Raza Haroon, 

IT Minister Government of Sindh, Professor Dr. Pirzada 

Qasim Raza Siddiqui and faculty members of Karachi 

University. 

Mr. Saquib Mohammad, Deputy High Commissioner 

of Bangladesh pays a visit to the IT Department to 

discuss issues of mutual interest with Mr. Mohammad 

Raza Haroon, IT Minister Government of Sindh. 

Mr. Tshuysuhi Hikita, Consul General of Japan calls 

on Mr. Mohammad Raza Haroon, IT Minister 

Government of Sindh at his office. 

30 

Mr. In-Ki Lee, Korean Consul General and Mr. Lee 

Myung Keun, Counselor attend a briefing on the IT 

City Project with Mr. Raza Haroon, IT Minister 

Government of Sindh chairing the meeting.

A delegation from the US Consulate in Karachi visits 

Mr. Mohammad Raza Haroon, IT Minister 

Government of Sindh at his office. 

Mr. Shehryar Niazi, Political Officer, British High 

Commission takes a tour of the 15 Call Centre and is 

briefed about the E-Driver’s Licensing system. 

Mr. Andro Shilakadze, Deputy UNICEF Representative 

meets Mr. Mohammad Raza Haroon, IT Minister 

Government of Sindh. 

Mr. Raza Haroon shares future plans and goals of the 

IT Department with the Ambassador of Romania to 

Pakistan, Mr. Emilian Ion. 

Mr. Raza Haroon, IT Minister Government of Sindh 

acknowledges a USAID delegation visiting the IT 

Department. 

A delegation from the World Bank led by Ms. Tenzin 

Dolma Norbhu visits the IT Department. 

31

Future Plans and 

Goals 

The IT Department has come a long way in 

establishing IT-enabled services for the public and 

government officials alike. These have greatly 

facilitated all stakeholders whilst simultaneously 

optimising resources. 

In order to continue with the provision of such 

services, the Department is closely monitoring its 

existing projects, and has lined up several future 

projects which are in harmony with the vision and 

mission of the Department.

Future Plans of Information Technology 


• Complaint Management System at CM Secretariat 

• GIS for Government of Sindh 

• Sindh Cloud Computing Initiative 

• Establishment of Video Conferencing System in 

Sindh (Phase-II) 

• Intranet Setup for Government of Sindh (Phase- 

II) 

• Computer based assurance of Domicile & PRC in 

coordination with NADRA 

• Computer based disbursment in coordination 

with NADRA 

• Completion of IT City (Phase I) 

• Completion of implementation of E-Policing 

System in Sindh 

• Completion of Hospital Management Information 

System at Civil Hospital Karachi 

• Completion of Biometric Identification Electronic 

System (Phase I) 

• Completion of Sindh Government Portal 

• Completion of Human Resource Management 

System for Government of Sindh 

33

First Floor, Sindh Secretariat Building #6, 

Karachi-Pakistan. 

Ph : 021-99211422, 021-99213408 

Fax : 021-99212974 

Information Technology Department 

Government of Sindh

Achievements of Information Technology Department ... - Sindh.gov.pk

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?