01-09-2006, 10:16 PM
Once a senior PTCL Official said the Government turned T&T into a corporation but forgot to induct corporate culture in it. It is quite true. Except for air conditioned customer service centers or reducing waiting period for a new connection what else has the nation achieved through this change of label? Nothing except high PTCL profits but by increasing tariffs. Has the staff behaviour, public dealing or efficiency increased? Answer every one of us knows well.
As near the end of every financial year the nation sees mad rush of development of roads streets footpaths but in a hip hazard manners, leaving electric and phone poles in the middle of the road, only for the purpose of exhausting the unspent budget likewise there is a mad rush of computerization of government departments. It is said it is the man operating any sort of technology which matters not the technology itself. With same old faces still sitting can there be any real practical change by just putting a computer on a government servantâs table? A friend of mine a few years back posted his letters depending on the postal rates shown on the postal departmentâs official web site. He had to pay penalty. He approached the concerned ombudsman that he may be refunded Rs. 4/- penalty charged from his because he mailed his articles exactly as per rates contained on departmental web site. His this request was not found genuine. But my said friend still remembers that the Pakistani nation could only know what an ombudsman means when the first ever case decided by the then Federal Ombudsman Mr. Justice Sardar Iqbal came in the press. Someone complained his telegram did not reach the destination. T&T defended that complainant had agreed to its terms which included that if telegram could not be delivered department was not responsible. Mr. Justice Sardar Iqbal did not agree to this contention and ordered refund of Rs. 2.11 telegram full fee. This news item opened public eyes what an ombudsman was.
Today most of the Government web sites are un-updated. The information placed on those can very often not be depended upon. For example for two months November & December 2005 the Punjab Ombudsman site displayed two separate names of Ombudsman. At one place name was that of Mr. Justice Sajid Sipra who had retired since 15 month ago and on other place name of that of existing ombudsman.
Till my writing today 09 January 2005 going at PTCL Site ptcl.com.pk/officials_gms.html shows Mr. Akhtar Jameel as General Manager Phones STR-III Karachi. Same PRCL site at ptcl.com.pk/list_khi_str3_telecom.html names the same General Manager as Mr. Shamsher Ali Khan. Which one should one take as correct and on which out of two information one should take as an authenticated government information.
We do not need computers. We still need old manual typewriters but with total overhauling and replacement with new faces.
As near the end of every financial year the nation sees mad rush of development of roads streets footpaths but in a hip hazard manners, leaving electric and phone poles in the middle of the road, only for the purpose of exhausting the unspent budget likewise there is a mad rush of computerization of government departments. It is said it is the man operating any sort of technology which matters not the technology itself. With same old faces still sitting can there be any real practical change by just putting a computer on a government servantâs table? A friend of mine a few years back posted his letters depending on the postal rates shown on the postal departmentâs official web site. He had to pay penalty. He approached the concerned ombudsman that he may be refunded Rs. 4/- penalty charged from his because he mailed his articles exactly as per rates contained on departmental web site. His this request was not found genuine. But my said friend still remembers that the Pakistani nation could only know what an ombudsman means when the first ever case decided by the then Federal Ombudsman Mr. Justice Sardar Iqbal came in the press. Someone complained his telegram did not reach the destination. T&T defended that complainant had agreed to its terms which included that if telegram could not be delivered department was not responsible. Mr. Justice Sardar Iqbal did not agree to this contention and ordered refund of Rs. 2.11 telegram full fee. This news item opened public eyes what an ombudsman was.
Today most of the Government web sites are un-updated. The information placed on those can very often not be depended upon. For example for two months November & December 2005 the Punjab Ombudsman site displayed two separate names of Ombudsman. At one place name was that of Mr. Justice Sajid Sipra who had retired since 15 month ago and on other place name of that of existing ombudsman.
Till my writing today 09 January 2005 going at PTCL Site ptcl.com.pk/officials_gms.html shows Mr. Akhtar Jameel as General Manager Phones STR-III Karachi. Same PRCL site at ptcl.com.pk/list_khi_str3_telecom.html names the same General Manager as Mr. Shamsher Ali Khan. Which one should one take as correct and on which out of two information one should take as an authenticated government information.
We do not need computers. We still need old manual typewriters but with total overhauling and replacement with new faces.