KARACHI – The project worth Rs 8 million for digitisation of centuries-old records and books with the Sindh Archives Department is yet to kick off despite being launched in June 2007, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Well-placed sources told Pakistan Today that the scheme launched by the Archives Department aimed at launching a website, digitisation and computerisation of the province’s historical archives, including more than 200-year-old books, could not be accomplished due to the apathy of the authorities concerned.
The project was divided into two sub-projects i.e. the digitisation of the records and the computerisation of the department, with the major objective to provide the public an easy access to the records and books, which the department was holding.
Primarily, the delay has been caused by the shortage of manpower in the Archives Department, as a total of 11 persons were appointed – on a package of not more than Rs 10,000 – for the development of a website. Soon, however, the hired staff started looking for greener pastures due to the low pay scale and left their jobs, causing delays in properly launching the department’s website.
According to sources, the development of a website was is a matter of only two months but those working on the project were either not capable or slipping up intentionally, as even the pages, research works, books, records, maps and applications placed on the website were not working properly due to major errors in programming.
Despite as many as 50,000 pages of the department’s records being scanned and fed into the software, the under-construction website only serves as a window to the individuals interested in accessing the data, as the visitors are not able to read or download anything from the site.
Moreover, the department’s internet facility has been disconnected over non-payment issues.
The sources informed that the department has a large collection of valuable books and precious records donated by various government departments as well as private parties. As per project details, the historical records and books had to be scanned and stored using software developed by hired experts. These records were to be made accessible for the people or researchers visiting the Sindh Archives Department website.
