Urban Facilitation Centre opened in Swat

MINGORA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives Fazal Hakim Khan and Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Science and Information Technology Dr Shafqat Ayaz formally inaugurated the state-of-the-art Urban Facilitation Centre in Qambar Bypass in Swat district.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by a large number of people, including National Assembly Member Saleemur Rehman, Provincial Assembly Members Sohail Sultan and Sultan Room, Deputy Commissioner Swat Shehzad Mehmood, Director of Urban Facilitation Centres Waqas Elahi, Facility Management Officer of Swat Centre Uzma Khan, other government officials and PTI workers.

Briefing the participants, Provincial Director Waqas Elahi said that the initiative was a major digital milestone of the KP Department of Science and IT, aiming to bring government services directly to citizens through the use of modern technology.

The Swat Urban Facilitation Centre will operate under the “e-Services Urban Facilitation Portal” and offer 26 different public services under one roof. These include issuance of birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates, building plan approvals, vehicle file processing, verification and registration services, firearm license issuance and renewal (both manual and computerized), domicile certificates, record of land transfers and demarcations, trade licenses, water connection requests and bill payments, waste management services, and complaints regarding encroachments and water supply.

Speaking at the occasion, azal Hakim Khan and Dr. Shafqat Ayaz stated that the centre would not only improve access to basic services for the public but will also enhance the coordination between government departments and citizens. They emphasised that the center would promote transparency, efficiency, and restore public trust in government institutions.

Dr Ayaz noted that this is the first center of its kind in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, launched from Swat, and is part of the provincial government’s broader vision for digital governance. He also announced plans for establishing a “Digital Valley” in the province, which is expected to attract tech firms and investors from across Pakistan and abroad - bringing new employment opportunities to the youth of Swat.

“Citizens who lack digital literacy or access to mobile and computer devices will now have a physical platform where they can conveniently access essential government services,” he added.