IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

Qatar’s e-government and the Border Passports and Alien Affairs Department at the Ministry of Interior are currently studying a project to replace the plastic Bataka Shaksiya or personal ID card with a Smart Card, Dr Ahmed Al Mohannadi, director of the e-government, said. The e-government is also working on a project with the Qatar National Bank to offer an e-wallet or electronic payment facility for various government services offered through the portal, he added. The electronically readable Smart Cards was expected to facilitate holders to conduct a variety of government transactions online and electronically, he added. Dr Ahmed disclosed that if such plans succeed, Qatari nationals and expatriates may expect Smart ID cards to be issued by the end of this year.

Under initial plans, Qatari nationals were expected to be issued Smart Cards that would allow them to access e-government terminals and conduct transactions such as renewal of Residence Permits of those under their sponsorship, apply for visas and other services from the MoI and other ministries.

A proposal to issue exit permits, which are mandatory for all expatriates leaving Qatar for a visit abroad, electronically, was also being studied, he added. Dr Ahmed explained that the sponsors of expatriates, in this case, would have to apply for an exit permit through the e-government portal. Once approved by the MoI, the exit permit will be transmitted electronically through the portal and can be printed out for travel.

He noted that Qatar’s e-government portal was the most advanced in the GCC region, offering a slew of services including renewal of driving licences, health cards and others to both, nationals and expatriates. To make transactions easier, the e-government and QNB, he said, were working on a project that would allow the bank to offer an e-wallet or, a secure online payment system that does not require an applicant to give out their credit card numbers.

Comprehensive cyber laws in the offing

Qatar is expected to join the select group of nations that have comprehensive cyber laws to crack down on Internet crimes and regulate e-commerce and e-business, Dr Ahmed Al Mohannadi, chairman, Qatar e-government, said. The draft of this law, he said, was now before the concerned authorities for study.

Dr Ahmed revealed that such laws were essential since Qatar has a well developed e-government portal and the country was moving towards more electronic transactions.

Currently, the law enforcement authorities are unable to effectively prosecute cyber criminals such as hackers who steal personal data from the computers or place malicious programmes on their PCs on the sly to gather information such as passwords and credit card numbers. Cyber crimes also include identity thefts.

Some hackers had been arrested and prosecuted in the past but using the country’s telecommunications and criminal laws.

Quelle: The Peninsula, 19.03.2005