Pakistan’s National Assembly Secretariat continues to rely on outdated, paper-based administrative processes. Sources reveal that a digital e-office system, installed nearly a decade ago, remains non-functional, raising concerns about its potential obsolescence without ever being fully utilized.
The National Information Technology Board (NITB) had installed the e-office system in the National Assembly Secretariat during the 2014-15 period. However, despite the infrastructure being in place and training sessions being conducted for Assembly staff, the system has never been practically implemented. Official work, including internal communication, approvals, and documentation, continues through traditional file-based methods.
Sources confirm that all technical requirements for the e-office system were completed by NITB, which also provided the necessary staff training. Implementation, however, was the responsibility of the National Assembly Secretariat, which has so far failed to activate the system. As a result, digital governance goals remain unmet within one of the country’s top legislative institutions.
Questions are now being raised about the Secretariat’s inability or unwillingness to adopt digital processes, especially when the rest of the government is transitioning toward paperless systems. The continued use of physical files not only slows down work but also increases inefficiencies and reduces transparency in official processes. Repeated attempts to get an official response from the National Assembly Secretariat have gone unanswered.