Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Establishment Division Senator Ahad Cheema chaired a meeting to review the establishment of Asaan Khidmat Centres in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, along with plans to expand the service model to other cities.
The minister directed the chief secretaries of AJK and GB to begin the tendering process for the centres in line with the prime minister’s instructions. He said the federal government would provide the required funds.
The chief secretaries, who joined the meeting virtually, agreed to move ahead with the tendering process.
Ahad Cheema stressed that work should be expedited in accordance with the prime minister’s directions.
The meeting also reviewed different operational models for expanding Asaan Khidmat Centre services to other cities.
These included a hybrid model in which the government would provide the facility while a private entity manages operations, a fully private model under which the government grants a licence and the private sector arranges the premises and operations, and a government-operated model.
The minister directed that a feasibility study be completed and proposals based on these models be submitted to the prime minister for consideration.
He also called for examining a revenue-sharing arrangement with departments offering services at the centres, including NADRA and the Immigration and Passports Department.
He said the relevant departments should contribute to operating costs, given that the government provides the premises and utilities.
He added that any private-sector model must include a proper revenue-sharing mechanism and safeguards to ensure that private operators do not impose extra charges on citizens.
The minister said the initiative was meant to facilitate the public and its costs should not be passed on to them.
Ahad Cheema also expressed satisfaction with the services and public response at the Asaan Khidmat Centre in Islamabad’s G-9 area and directed further improvement in its facilities.
The meeting also discussed the possibility of using centrally located post offices and other government buildings in different cities to provide Asaan Khidmat services.
The minister directed that this option be studied through a feasibility assessment, but no final decision was taken on its implementation.
Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Secretary Inter-Provincial Coordination Mohyuddin Wani, Secretary Communications Ali Sher Masood, representatives of the Ministry of Finance, the chief secretaries of AJK and GB, and senior officials of the Prime Minister’s Office attended the meeting.
Pakistan Asaan Khidmat Centre is a one-stop facility offering more than 60 services under one roof, including passports, NADRA services, domicile, and birth and death certificates.
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