In a major move towards advancing the Digital Pakistan agenda, the Ministry of Information Technology (MoIT) has established a Project Management Unit (PMU) for the $78 million Digital Enablement and E-Governance Project (DEEP), funded by the World Bank. Asfandyar Khan, Director General IT, has been appointed as the Project Director to lead this initiative.
To ensure effective management and coordination, additional PMUs have been set up at Ignite and the National Information Technology Board (NITB). This collaborative effort extends to the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Board of Investment (BOI), which have also established their own PMUs in line with the DEEP project’s objectives.
These PMUs are currently temporary but will become permanent units once the hiring process is completed. The DEEP project, overseen by the MoIT and Telecom, involves key stakeholders including the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB), NITB, NADRA, Ignite, and BOI, combining their expertise for a comprehensive digital transformation strategy.
The central PMU at MoIT will play a critical role in managing the DEEP project. It will consist of specialists in financial management, procurement, social and environmental safeguards, monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and communications to ensure smooth project execution.
Within three months of the project’s initiation, the PMU will develop a Project Operations Manual (POM). This manual will detail the organizational structure of the PMU and define the roles and responsibilities of its staff, covering technical, administrative, financial, procurement, safeguards, gender considerations, and monitoring and evaluation protocols.
Approved by the World Bank’s Board of Directors in March, the $78 million DEEP project aims to enhance the government’s capacity for digitally-enabled public service delivery. It focuses on improving broadband access, bridging the digital divide, and supporting policy and legal reforms for the digital economy. The DEEP project marks a significant step towards a technologically empowered Pakistan.