The Government of Punjab, operating the Punjab Socio-Economic Registry (“PSER,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your data when you visit our official website at https://pser.org.pk (the “Website”) and during the application process for government programs.
By accessing our Website and providing your information, you expressly consent to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree with these practices, please do not use our Website or provide your personal information.
1. Information We Collect
We collect information to provide and improve our services, process your application, and fulfill our legal obligations. The data we collect falls into two categories:
a. Information You Provide Directly:
- Personal Identifiers: Name, CNIC number, date of birth, gender, and contact information (phone number, email address, residential address).
- Family & Household Information: Details of family members, including their names, CNICs, ages, and relationships.
- Socio-Economic Data: Information related to your income, employment, assets, property, utilities, and expenses submitted via the PSER application form.
- Communication Data: Records of your correspondence with us if you contact our support team.
b. Information Collected Automatically:
- Technical Data: Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type and version, time zone setting, browser plug-in types, operating system, and other technology on the devices you use to access this website.
- Usage Data: Information about how you use our Website, such as the pages you visit, the time and date of your visit, the time spent on those pages, and other diagnostic data. We collect this data using cookies and similar tracking technologies.
2. How We Use Your Information
Your information is used for the following legitimate purposes:
- To Process Your Application: To verify your identity, assess your socio-economic status, and determine eligibility for various government welfare programs.
- To Communicate with You: To send you updates regarding your application status, respond to your inquiries, and provide important information about PSER services.
- To Improve Our Services: To analyze usage trends, monitor the performance of our Website, and enhance user experience and functionality.
- For Legal and Regulatory Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, court orders, and government requests, and to prevent fraudulent activity.
3. Legal Basis for Processing
Our processing of your personal data is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest and in the exercise of official authority vested in the Government of Punjab, under the relevant provincial laws and regulations.
4. How We Share Your Information
We take your privacy seriously. We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal data to third parties for marketing purposes.
We may share your information with:
- Government Departments & Agencies: Your data may be shared with other relevant provincial and federal government entities solely for the purpose of verifying information and administering social welfare programs.
- Service Providers: We engage trusted third-party vendors to perform functions on our behalf (e.g., data hosting, technical support). These entities are contractually obligated to maintain the confidentiality and security of your data.
- As Required by Law: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or in response to a valid request by a governmental authority.
5. Data Security
We implement a comprehensive suite of technical, administrative, and physical security measures designed to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encryption, access controls, and secure server infrastructure. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee its absolute security.
6. Data Retention
We will retain your personal data only for as long as is necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Retention periods are defined in accordance with the Government of Punjab’s record-keeping policies.
7. Your Rights
Under applicable law, you have the right to:
- Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Correction: Request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Deletion: Request the deletion of your personal data, subject to certain legal limitations.
- Lodge a Complaint: You have the right to lodge a complaint with a relevant regulatory authority.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the details provided in the “Contact Us” section below.
8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our Website uses “cookies” to enhance user experience and collect usage data. You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, you may not be able to use some portions of our Website.
9. Third-Party Links
Our Website may contain links to other sites that are not operated by us. We strongly advise you to review the Privacy Policy of every site you visit. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services.
10. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the “Last Updated” date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.
11. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data handling practices, please contact our Data Protection Officer at:
Email: [email protected]
Subject Line: Privacy Policy Inquiry
Mailing Address:
Punjab Socio-Economic Registry (PSER)
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan