The Barriers to Implementing National Spatial Data Infrastructure in Pakistan: Policy and Legislation Context
Abstract

In today’s world, information is the most valuable resource. Geospatial information, which refers to the location of various features on earth, plays a crucial role in policymaking, implementation, and monitoring the policy outcomes. The information about forests, roads, water bodies, health and education facilities, population, human settlements etc. is geospatial. Due to financial and human resource constraints a single government department cannot collect such diverse information. Therefore, each department is mandated to collect and maintain one particular type of information. The information collected is used as evidence in policymaking and to ensure its efficacy, various types of information collected by departments is integrated and utilized. The dilemma is, government departments often do not share their collected information, despite them being funded by public money. Consequently, informed decision-making is hampered. The reasons for non-sharing of the information may include lack of technical capacity, fear of loss of control over information assets, poor quality of the information and lack of legal and policy framework to share information. This article focuses on policy and legal barriers to geospatial information sharing in Pakistan. The study follows content analysis method, specifically used for deriving relevant information from the data. The data is collected through reviews of policy documents, minutes of meetings, and focused group discussions with experts on the subject. The article discusses how the current provisions are inadequate to deal with new developments in geospatial information sharing, and proposes recommendations for amending and updating existing laws and policies. The study finds that policymakers in Pakistan are still not aware of the potential of geospatial information and its sharing through NSDI for informing, and implementing public policies. Accordingly, the study recommends approving NSDI Act at the earliest.
Downloads
References
Ahmad, M., Ali, A., Nawaz, M., Sattar, F., & Hussain, H. (2024). A review of Pakistan’s national spatial data infrastructure using multiple assessment frameworks. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 13(9), Article e328. https://doi.org/10.3390/IJGI13090328
Ali, A. (2008). Potential of public private partnership for NSDI implementation in Pakistan [Master thesis, Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation]. Zenodo. https://zenodo.org/records/8274061
Ali, A., & Ahmad, M. (2013, November 4–8). Geospatial data sharing in Pakistan: Possibilities and problems [Paper presentation]. Proceedings of FIG Working Week, Global Geospatial Conference 2013. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Ali, A., & de Vries, W. T. (2023). The congruence and conflicts of spatial data infrastructure and cadastral agricultural systems in Pakistan. In W. T. de Vries, I. Rudiarto, & N. M. Piyasena (Eds.), Geospatial science for smart land management: An Asian context (pp. 32–42). CRC Press.
Ali, A., & Imran, M. (2021). The evolution of national spatial data infrastructure in Pakistan-implementation challenges and the way forward. International Journal of Spatial Data Infrastructures Research, 15, 110–142. https://doi.org/10.2902/1725-0463.15.art5
Ali, A., Ahmad, M., Nawaz, M., & Sattar, F. (2024). Spatial data infrastructure as the means to assemble geographic information necessary for effective agricultural policies in Pakistan. Information Development. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02666669241244503
Ali, A., Imran, M., Jabeen, M., Ali, Z., & Mahmood, S. A. (2023). Factors influencing integrated information management: Spatial data infrastructure in Pakistan. Information Development, 39(2), 213–234. https://doi.org/10.1177/02666669211048483
Bajaj, A., & Ram, S. (2007). A comprehensive framework towards information sharing between government agencies. International Journal of Electronic Government Research, 3(2), 29–44.
Ballantyne, P. (2009). Accessing, sharing and communicating agricultural information for development: Emerging trends and issues. Information Development, 25(4), 260–271. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266666909351634
Bulbul, R., Ahsan, M. S., & Mirza, J. F. (2019, April 22–26). Towards national SDI in Pakistan: The challenges [Paper presentation]. Proceedings of FIG Working Week, Geospatial information for a smarter life and environmental resilience. Hanoi, Vietnam.
Casolari, F., Buttaboni, C., & Floridi, L. (2023). The EU Data Act in context: A legal assessment. International Journal of Law and Information Technology, 31(4), 399–412. https://doi.org/10.1093/IJLIT/EAAE005
Crompvoets, J., Rajabifard, A., Van Loenen, B., & Fernández, T. D. (2008). A multi-view framework to assess spatial data infrastructures. Melbourne University Press.
Dimova, S. (2018, March 19–23). The legal component, one of the key segments for NSDI development in Republic of Macedonia [Paper presentation]. Annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty. Washington, USA.
EU Monitor. (2005, March 9). Legal provisions of COM (2004)96 - Multiannual Community programme to make digital content in Europe more accessible, usable and exploitable. https://www.eumonitor.eu/9353000/1/j4nvhdfcs8bljza_j9vvik7m1c3gyxp/vi8rm2zb0gyz
Fan, J., Zhang, P., & Yen, D. C. (2014). G2G information sharing among government agencies. Information & Management, 51(1), 120–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2013.11.001
Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Association. (2012). Spatial data infrastructure cookbook 2012. http://gsdiassociation.org/images/publications/cookbooks/SDI_Cookbook_from_Wiki_2012_update.pdf
Government of India. (2022). National geospatial policy, 2022 (Vol. 2022, Issue D). https://www.surveyofindia.gov.in/pages/national-geospatial-policy-2022
Government of Pakistan. (1981, December 29). PARC ordinance 1981. https://www.parc.gov.pk/SiteImage/Misc/files/PARC%20Ordinance%2C%201981.pdf
Government of Pakistan. (2000, August 18). IT policy and action plan. https://moitt.gov.pk/SiteImage/Misc/files/Pakistan%20IT%20Policy%20%20Action%20Plan%202000.pdf
Government of Pakistan. (2008, May). Hand book on planning commission. https://www.scribd.com/document/252580214/Handbook-Planning-Commission
Government of Pakistan. (2012, February 28). The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. https://na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/1333523681_951.pdf
Government of Pakistan. (2014). Surveying and mapping act 2014. http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/1397721138_588.pdf
Government of Pakistan. (2015, March 6). Surveying and mapping rules 2015. https://www.surveyofpakistan.gov.pk/SiteImage/Misc/files/surveying_and_mapping_rules_2015.pdf
Government of Pakistan. (2017, October 12). Right of access to information act, 2017. https://pakistancode.gov.pk/english/UY2FqaJw1-apaUY2Fqa-apaUY2Noa5c%3D-sg-jjjjjjjjjjjjj
Government of Pakistan. (2018a, May 22). Digital Pakistan policy. http://moib.gov.pk/Downloads/Policy/DIGITAL_PAKISTAN_POLICY(22-05-2018).pdf
Government of Pakistan. (2018b). National food security policy. https://lpr.adb.org/resource/national-food-security-policy-2018-pakistan
Government of Pakistan. (2021a, October). National climate change policy 2021. https://mocc.gov.pk/SiteImage/Policy/NCCP%20Report.pdf
Government of Pakistan. (2021b, July). National cyber security policy. https://moitt.gov.pk/SiteImage/Misc/files/National%20Cyber%20Security%20Policy%202021%20Final.pdf
Government of Pakistan. (2022, February). Pakistan cloud first policy. https://moitt.gov.pk/SiteImage/Misc/files/Pakistan%20Cloud%20First%20Policy-Final-25-02-2022.pdf
Government of Pakistan. GOP. (2023, January 25). NIH policy for data management and sharing. https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-21-013.html
Houghton, J. (2011, October 24). Costs and benefits of data provision: Report to the Australian national data service. Analysis and Policy Observatory. https://apo.org.au/node/26938
Karim, M. A., Kum, H. C., & Schmit, C. D. (2022). A study of publicly available resources addressing legal data-sharing barriers: Systematic assessment. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(9), Article e39333. https://doi.org/10.2196/39333
Khanalibayli, E. (2020). Development of the national spatial data infrastructure in Azerbaijan [Paper presentation]. Proceedigns of Working Week, Smart Surveyors for Land and Water Management. Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Khurshid, M. M., Zakaria, N. H., Arfeen, M. I., Rashid, A., Nasir, S. U., & Shehzad, H. M. F. (2022). Factors influencing citizens’ intention to use open government data—a case study of Pakistan. Big Data and Cognitive Computing, 6(1), Article e31. https://doi.org/10.3390/BDCC6010031
Lance, K. (2003). Spatial data infrastructure in Africa: Spotting the elephant behind trees. Geospatial Media and Communications, 7, 35–41.
Lance, K. T., Georgiadou, Y., & Bregt, A. K. (2009). Cross‐agency coordination in the shadow of hierarchy:‘Joining up’government geospatial information systems. International Journal of Geographical Information Science, 23(2), 249–269. https://doi.org/10.1080/13658810801909615
Li, P., Lan, W., & Xuenian, X. (2008). SDI in China: Progress and issues. International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 37(B4), 7–10.
Maphanyane, J. G., Mapeo, R. B. M., & Simela, S. (2018). Emerging approaches to data management for a new geospatial science research: The essences and methodologies of data matter perspective. In J. G. Maphanyane, R. B. M. Mapeo, & M. O. Akinola (Eds.), Handbook of research on geospatial science and technologies (pp. 304–336). IGI Global.
Masser, I. (2005). GIS worlds: Creating spatial data infrastructures (Vol. 338). ESRI Press.
Masser, I. (2019). From Geographic information systems to Spatial data infrastructures: A global perspective. CRC Press.
Masser, I., & Crompvoets, J. (2019). Learning from inspire. In I. Masser (Ed.), Geographic information systems to spatial data infrastructure (pp. 347–362). CRC Press.
Mishra, A., Misra, D. P., Kar, A. K., Babbar, S., & Biswas, S. (2017, 21–23 November). Assessment of open government data initiative-a perception driven approach [Paper presentation]. Proceedings of Digital Nations–Smart Cities, Innovation, and Sustainability: 16th IFIP WG 6.11 Conference on e-Business, e-Services, and e-Society. Delhi, India.
Murakami, H. (2008). New legislation on NSDI in Japan: Basic act on the advancement of utilizing geospatial information. Bulletin of the Geographical Survey Institute, 55, 1–10.
Nugroho, Y. S., & Supangkat, S. H. (2021, August 2–4). Spatial data infrastructure integrated with geospatial artificial intelligence: A systematic literature review [Paper presentation]. Proceedings of 2021 International Conference on ICT for Smart Society (ICISS). Bandung, Indonesia.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2006). Digital broadband content public sector information. https://doi.org/10.1787/231534841283
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2021). The OECD laboratory for geospatial analysis. https://www.oecd.org/regional/regional-statistics/geospatial-lab.htm
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2022). Using private sector geospatial data to inform policy: Lessons from OECD countries on private-public collaborations. https://doi.org/10.1787/242f51b8-en
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2023). Very large infrastructures policy issues and options and industry. OECD Publishing.
Radovic, N., & Djurdjevic, Z. (2016). European Union’s information exchange legal framework: A prerequisite for successful co-operation in fighting organized crime. Nauka, Bezbednost, Policija, 21(3), 95–118. https://doi.org/10.5937/NABEPO21-11401
Rahman, Md. M., & Szabo, G. (2023). Assessing the Status of National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) of Bangladesh. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 12(6), Article e236. https://doi.org/10.3390/IJGI12060236
Rajabifard, A., Feeney, M. E. F., & Williamson, I. (2003). Spatial data infrastructures: concept, nature and SDI hierarchy. Taylor & Francis London.
Rosenthal, G. (2018). Economic and social council. In S. Daws & T. G. Weiss (Eds.), The Oxford handbook on the United Nations (pp. 136–148). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199560103.003.0007
Safarov, I. (2020). Institutional dimensions of open government data implementation: Evidence from transition countries. Public Performance & Management Review, 43(6), 1359–1389. https://doi.org/10.1080/15309576.2020.1805336
Schade, S., Granell, C., Vancauwenberghe, G., Keßler, C., Vandenbroucke, D., Masser, I., & Gould, M. (2020). Geospatial information infrastructures. H. Guo, M. F. Goodchild, & A. Annoni (Eds.), Manual of digital earth (pp. 161–190). Springer.
Shahzad, H., & Sandhu, W. Y. (2007). E-Government services in Pakistan [Master thesis, Luleå University of Technology]. Diva Portal. https://ltu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1020858/FULLTEXT01.pdf
Shelton, A. L., & McNamara, T. P. (2001). Systems of spatial reference in human memory. Cognitive Psychology, 43(4), 274–310. https://doi.org/10.1006/cogp.2001.0758
Shepherd, E. (2015). Freedom of information, right to access information, open data: Who is at the table? Round Table, 104(6), 715–726. https://doi.org/10.1080/00358533.2015.1112101
Siebritz, L., & Coetzee, S. (2022). Evaluating stakeholder influences on the land use application process in South Africa – results from an analysis of the legal framework. Land Use Policy, 120, Article e106238. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.LANDUSEPOL.2022.106238
Subari, M. D. (2015). National earth observation program for digital earth - the Malaysian case: Issues in consideration. Journal of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, 1(2), 62–77. https://doi.org/10.11113/JOSTIP.V1N2.14
Tonchovska, R., Stanley, V., & De Martino, S. (2012, Septmeber 1). Spatial data infrastructure and inspire. World Bank Group. https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/900421468249889891/spatial-data-infrastructure-and-inspire
Torrisi, G. (2009). Public infrastructure: definition, classification and measurement issues. Economics, Management, and Financial Markets, 4(3), 100–124.
United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management. (2020). Virtual regional seminar on operationalizing the integrated geospatial information framework in Asia and the Pacific. https://un-ggim-ap.org/sites/default/files/media/meetings/Webinar_2020-11_IGIF/Concept%20Note_Virtual%20Regional%20Seminar%20on%20IGIF_20201130.pdf
United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management. (2023). Authoritative data in an evolving geospatial landscape: An exploration of policy and legal challenges. https://ggim.un.org/meetings/2023/SCoG-3rd-Plenary/documents/Third_plenary_meeting_CCMEO_proposed_paper_Bonn_31Mar.pdf
Valachamy, M., Sahibuddin, S., Ahmad, N. A., & Bakar, N. A. A. (2019). A review of MyGDI: The catalyst of the evolution of geographical information systems in Malaysian public sector. Open International Journal of Informatics, 7(Special Issue 2), 127–137.
Williamson, I., Rajabifard, A., & Binns, A. (2006). Challenges and issues for SDI development. International Journal of Spatial Data Infrastructures Research, 1(1), 24–35.
Wirtz, B. W., Piehler, R., Thomas, M. J., & Daiser, P. (2016). Resistance of public personnel to open government: A cognitive theory view of implementation barriers towards open government data. Public Management Review, 18(9), 1335–1364. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2015.1103889
Zheng, X., & He, B. (2009, September 9–12). SWOT analysis on national common geospatial information service platform of China [Paper presentation]. Sixth International Symposium on Digital Earth: Models, Algorithms, and Virtual Reality. Beijing, China.
Zuiderwijk, A., & Janssen, M. (2014). Open data policies, their implementation and impact: A framework for comparison. Government Information Quarterly, 31(1), 17–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2013.04.003
Copyright (c) 2024 Asmat Ali, Hammad Hussain, Rida Fatima, Munir Ahmad

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.