Some foreign organizations such as NLDP (The Netherlands Library Development Project; 1975-1996) made efforts to develop information networks in the major development sector in Pakistan.
Groundwork was done and feasibility studies for a number of networks were prepared.
Practical work on some projects also started.
It was planned that all the major libraries in the country should be linked together electronically through a wide area network (WAN).
SERNET (Serials Network Project) was proposed by the NLDP and for this purpose a SERNET database was also developed containing information on the contents of 1500 periodical titles. Institutions in the Federal and the four Provincial headquarters were included in the network, and the database distributed to 50 libraries on floppy disk.
A CD-ROM version was also to be developed and distributed.
Another network for health sciences institutions was to be initiated through HEALTHNET.
The National Institute of Health, Islamabad agreed to become a focal point for this network.
Mr. Riaz Khan, the country representative of NLDP prepared a feasibility report on using "Full text CD-ROM Databases for Document Delivery Service" and examined in particular the possible advantages of using ADONIS.
He, however, observed that "apparently it looks more economical to subscribe to a full text CD-ROM database but some operational problems have to be overcome before it can become really effective".
He concluded that online systems which could make the use of databases really effective are not possible in Pakistan at present (90s) due to the high cost of telecommunication.
Later, on the invitation and initiative of the NLDP an OCLC team visited the country but apparently due to the problems of infrastructure, expenses, etc. nothing materialized.