As part of its effort to encourage the use of mobile broadband, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has launched a web portal named “Smart-Pakistan”. This web portal will provide one stop repository and directory of mobile applications focusing on different thematic areas such as mEducation, mHealth, mGovernment, etc.
It will provide an easy to use platform where a user can search for applications related to their requirements. The aim of ‘Smart-Pakistan initiative’ is also to engage the application developers and give them an opportunity to showcase their apps through this portal. The Smart Pakistan Initiative is first path-breaking step towards achieving this objective.
The emphasis of this initiative will be to promote mobile applications and services that are relevant to the Pakistani society and at the same time to encourage operators, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and local developers in promoting innovative ideas.
This initiative will bring all stakeholders such as citizens, government, mobile operators, OEMs, international organizations, academia, mobile entrepreneurs and others under one platform to build a sustainable ecosystem.
In collaboration with professionals from the industry PTA has also set up a ‘Smart Pakistan m-Lab’ at its headquarters to provide mentoring and coaching services for young mobile applications developers and entrepreneurs. It will provide start up, acceleration and launch services to the developers.
It may be further added that the Smart Pakistan is an ongoing initiative and its m-Education Platform has been formally launched today at PTA Headquarters Islamabad.
MashAllah. PTA yet again proves how incompetent it is!
Has anyone checked the website? I was thinking it to be something amazing when actually its a stupid website where half of the links don’t work, the design looks like it is from the 80s, and on further exploration you will find out its nothing much more than a link farm linking to app on the Google Play store.
I mean seriously? Kids these days can even build better platforms. I wonder how much money Central Asian Cellular Forum made from PTA on this project. This is Smart Corruption.
Yup . Youre right. Even children are capable of making better sites! This is a useless site. Nothing works at all!
100% true. Only three apps from Google Play and nothing else. We can find hundreds of apps like this. Useless.
oky fine @SaadHamid:disqus I agree kids can develop more better than this but I would really appreciate if you mention any such platform/initiative taken by any government prior to this. Its simple “many can do it in a better way, criticism, allegations etc etc”….but when, where, how…no one would like to answer this. Pakistan is a developing country not developed where kids/students design Apps while sitting at home. A moment of silence for how could a person call it corruption without going into details about this initiative. We all need to be a Smarter Society by brains not technology wise; where we can appreciate the good (even if it is minor form of good) so that such efforts can be welcomed.
mEducation, mHealth, mCities and mGov is the hour of need and I believe we can do wonders as we have 3G/4G now; which is successfully launched by the same competent PTA.
We don’t need Critics & Haters all the time. Thumps up PTA.
Corruption isn’t hard to spot but what’s really sad is when put a blind eye to corruption and call it ‘progress’ and ‘development’. I don’t have a habit of targeting people personally over the web so I am not going to start a debate here but in my personal opinion this is the most pathetic and useless project that I have seen from PTA so far.
Let me to share ,you people can see whole government organizations like PIA,Railway,National Bank,Pakistan Post, PTCL etc, all are in front of you .Compare all with same private organization and tell me when we will become developed country. My question is this how much time is required to make if profitable for the poor nation of Pakistan??????????????????????? anyone please reply
They are profitable you just need to remove the legal and illegal corruption and wastage that drained the whole contribution margin.
This project of PTA is an example of legal corruption.
@SaadHamid:disqus I have seen the website. What are you complaining about? If they are not for you they would be for someone else. I can see most of the apps are for kids. Regarding the platform What is wrong? If you are complaining about web design there is nothing wrong.
It is a good initiative from PTA. I have seen the app sabaq. It would reduce the control of academy mafia.
Can you tell me the purpose of this platform? I’d love to learn from your insights.
Don’t you think its a bit too early to make such harsh assessments? i mean the initiative has just been launched and beside, just because the website is not good enough doesn’t mean the whole project is worthless. The overall objectives and goals are undoubtedly quite innovative and progressive. Lets just wait a little and see what benefits it will bring for us.
They ‘launched’ it which means they think its ready and out there so why should I NOT make any assessment about the quality of this initiative? If they think they weren’t ready, they shouldn’t have launched it. Incompetency as I said earlier!
Did you got chance to look at the website. It literally have nothing up. Its nt about just the design. We are living with the worst design ever when it comes to our Government besides the most expensive on earth. Its about the content. I can’t see any content there.
What is the launching for if they don’t have nothing up? It appears to be just another Government’s announcement you will never hear to complete.
First a Science and Technology Minister saying he can’t send an SMS in a keynote and now this. I really don’t know where is it going to end.
Atleast appreciate the initiative guys. Its a good start. Give it some time.
I know why you are saying this
@ saad, I have tried to research on this initiative and came to know quite interesting fact that it is a free project by this organization “Central Asian Cellular Forum” . I also confirmed from my resources in PTA. So I guess there is no harm in admiring this effort as in Pakistan nothing is done free of cost. As far as the design is concerned, it will also improve by the time or may be PTA intentionally launched it in initial form to know the response. Please be positive and appreciate good cause as well.
Thanks Ali for this information.
Sir there’s no thing in this world called as FREE. At times its the money, other times its the brand building, image building or even the relation building…
Typo… its called “eco” system not “echo”system……
Pathetic UI, can anyone explain whats the point of having details of devices that aren’t even available in Pakistan? most of the links are not working.
didn’t expected this from PTA
At least its responsive site i.e. mobile friendly
yeah i was amazed to see this.. never expected this from a government institution.. yet they provided nothing but a link farming website..
Responsive ka achaar dalna hay jab website pay kuch hay hi nahi
Ha Ha really amused to read your comment
If there would have been proper education, there would have been no criticism.
PTA has taken a better and smart initiative though….. (y)
Good to see PTA taking initiative on something that should have been done long ago..
What has been done?
In a country like our’s where smartphone usage is increasing these kind of steps taken by the government should be helpful in a longer term.
apko comment karnay k koi paisay daita hay?
Apke bhi DJ butt ki tara puray nahi milay?
Yup Smarty pants !!!
u nailed it……..
I think their main objective is to promote the local developers and provide a platform where people can access applications, content and services in their desired category . It requires some improvement like updating with local services, devices and specially local applications which i think will improve with time.
We as a nation try to find mistakes or criticize more rather than doing something good or appreciating
You too would have found nothing in this piece of crap but since you are PTA employee or those who developed it so we can understand
Please develop one such on your own @talanga
Your are right that criticism is easy and doing something is very hard
But point here is that a funded project should be in a more presentable form
Government departments hire many officers to manage the web design and graphics etc. but we always see a pathetic design. Have anyone seen website of HEC,FPSC, NTS etc. Almost all government run websites are sore for eyes.
Let me to share ,you people can see whole government organizations like PIA,Railway,National Bank,Pakistan Post etc all are in font of you . My question is this how much time is required to make if profitable for the poor nation of Pakistan??????????????????????? anyone please reply
This really makes you wonder whose mama / chacha / taya or brother in law got funds from PTA to pull off this stunt? Those icons are absolutely diabolical.
And interestingly, this whole thing happened off the grid.
they picked all stupid domain names like meducation.pk, mhealth.pk,mcities.pk. Who’s going to remember them.
they domain names are not attractive. They probably spend lot of money on web site but failed to get one word domain names…
Interesting and quite an innovative initiative. Some of criticism about the design of portal is valid. But it seems like that initiative has much more to offer than a portal and it is one of the component. PTA should have promoted it properly. The m-Lab sort of thing seems very good to promote local developers and entrepreneurs and that coming from a government agency is heartening in context of Pakistan. The concept seems innovative and seems to have larger scope than a portal but nevertheless web portal needs improvement even though if its work in progress.
No need to this portal in presence of play store etc
in their logo font, the letter “T” resembles to Christianity religion
“Urdu qaida Help us to write urdu”
-abdul Rasheed
’nuff said!