Following Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s directive, the Punjab government expanded the reach of its ‘Dastak – Doorstep Services’ app on Monday.
Now reaching 32 districts, the program added 10 new cities: Rahim Yar Khan, Vehari, Lodhran, Toba Tek Singh, Layyah, Rajanpur, Nankana Sahib, Chiniot, Gujrat, and Khushab. At a progress review meeting in Lahore, Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) Chairman Faisal Yousaf explained that the initiative aims to streamline services and create a more efficient, citizen-centric experience by utilizing trained representatives.
If you aren’t aware, the Dastak – Doorstep Services app, also known as “Maryam ki Dastak” is designed to deliver government documents directly to your home for convenience. You can order several essential documents to your home such as birth/death certificates, domicile certificates, marriage certificates, e-stamping services, new motor vehicle registration, and many others.
For a fee of Rs. 1200, a government representative or a third-party agent will collect the necessary documents from your home. If everything is in order, your processed government document will be returned within nine days.
The ‘Maryam Ki Dastak’ program offers convenient access to over 65 government services, eliminating the need for citizens, particularly women, senior citizens, and working individuals, to visit government offices. While previously available in major cities like Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, and Sargodha, ‘Dastak’ services are now more widely accessible and can also be requested by calling the helpline at 1202.
However, the app currently has a low rating of only 2.8 out of 5 on the Google Play Store. This is mostly due to reviewers complaining about the high fee and not being able to use the app in their districts, even if it is officially supported.