ICT interventions have revamped the canvas of pubic governance globally. It has especially enabled government officials to provide public services more efficiently and transparently in developed countries. Citizens’ expectations in Pakistan, too, have risen since the implementation of ICT initiatives in the government sector. e-Governance has specifically grabbed citizens’ attention not only in terms of providing upgraded and transparent public services but has also improved the accountability of delivery officials. Despite being termed a developing nation, Pakistan’s ICT infrastructure has shown promising progress over the recent years in various fields including education, health, agriculture, and law and order.
Among the government’s endeavours introduced over the past two years, a major concern was to digitize the financial eco-system. The government has taken effective steps to revamp tax and revenue infrastructure in order to improve tax collection and reduce dependency on foreign loans.
ICT interventions in the regulation of tax system is showing promising results. Launched by the Punjab government last year, e-Pay Punjab developed by Punjab Information Technology Board in collaboration with Punjab Finance Department is helping collect revenue through a hassle-free process.
A simple android and iOS app, having 433,000+ downloads to date, e-Pay Punjab is easily downloadable on any smart phone from Google Play or Apple Store. This user friendly application enables the user to make payments for a number of taxes and levies. With the recent addition of Vehicle Fitness Certificate and e-Auction, e-Pay Punjab is now offering 16 taxes/levies, including, Token Tax, Property Tax, Mutation fee, Fard fee, Sales Tax on Services, Business Registration fee, Route Permit, Vehicle Fitness Certificate, and Traffic Challan. In addition to this, a new levy Private Education Provider Registration & Information System (PEPRIS) will be introduced soon.
e-Pay Punjab completed its first tier in October 2020. By the end of October it had collected a total revenue of PKR 11.5 billion+ of which PKR 459 million came from online payment of traffic challan. Presently active in Lahore, Gujranwala, Multan and Faisalabad, e-Pay allows online payment of traffic challans via all banking channels, and envisions to digitize the payment of traffic challan across Punjab As of November 2020, e-Pay Punjab has successfully processed 2.7 Million+ transactions collecting a whopping revenue of PKR 12.8 Billion+.
Automation of online tax payment system through e-Pay Punjab has increased government collections by enabling the citizens to make online payments from the comfort of their homes or on-spot in case of traffic challan. It is helping with tracking collections and comprehensive analytics for reporting and supporting policy formulation and informed decision making. Providing an alternate and an easy mode of payments to the citizens using digital medium such as a mobile application and a web portal, e-Pay Punjab guarantees one click reporting for payments received against different levies.
Furthermore, the fact that e-Pay Punjab is integrated with State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and all scheduled banks through 1-Link network makes it a secure and reliable payment channel. e-Pay Punjab application generates a unique PSID number that is accepted on banks across the nation along with their respective channels, including, Internet and Mobile Banking, ATM and Over the Counter (OTC), and personal Branch Visits. e-Pay Punjab is already working on adding more payment channels which are Direct Debit from Account, Debit and Credit Card Payment Gateway, and Payment within e-Pay Punjab app via Telco Mobile Wallet Agent Network. Additionally, Non Account 1 Receipts and Commercial Account Receipts as well as Disbursements will also be made possible using e-Pay Punjab.
e-Commerce in Pakistan is already on the rise. During the ongoing pandemic, e-Commerce has specifically gained popularity among all classes of our society. The need to practice social distancing encouraged the public to adopt fintech for all kinds of payments, including, paying school fees and utility bills. e-Pay Punjab, especially during Covid-19, has played an integral role in helping maintain social distancing enabling the citizens to pay taxes and levies without visiting public offices, hence, making e-Pay Punjab the most used app. With a vision to increase the digital and financial footprint among citizens of Punjab, e-Pay Punjab is designed to increase financial inclusion and improve Ease of Doing Business while seeking public convenience and satisfaction.
