Thai Doctor Struck By A Intoxicated British Motorcyclist In Koh Phangan Dies

LAHORE: Government College University (GCU) Lahore has officially moved its administrative operations to a fully paperless digital system, marking a major step towards modernising governance and reducing reliance on traditional office files. The transformation has been achieved through the implementation of the e-Filing and Office Automation System, a cloud-based digital platform developed by the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB). The system has been provided to the university free of cost under special directions from the Punjab government, according to university officials. Under the new framework, administrative processes across GCU’s departments will now be handled online through a single digital platform. Routine matters such as leave applications, travel permissions, annual performance reports, official orders and departmental correspondence can now be processed electronically. The university said the system would also cover digital note sheets for proposals between departments, approval of payments for visiting faculty, purchase requests and agendas for departmental meetings. No more files moving from desk to desk One of the most significant changes will be the elimination of the traditional practice of physically moving files from one office to another. Instead, officials will be able to create, review, approve and track documents digitally through the cloud-based platform. This is expected to improve administrative efficiency while making it easier to monitor the progress of official matters. GCU Vice Chancellor Professor Muhammad Umar Chaudhry described the transition as more than an environmental initiative, saying digital governance was essential for a modern educational institution. He said moving administrative affairs away from paper would strengthen transparency, speed and accountability, while reducing delays associated with manual file tracking. According to the vice chancellor, removing routine administrative delays would allow faculty members and heads of departments to devote more time to teaching and research. Part of wider digital transformation The university said the paperless initiative is part of a broader digitalisation drive launched during the previous academic year under the vice chancellor’s leadership. Before implementing the complete e-office system, GCU had introduced online approval mechanisms for student society events and digital billing for payments to visiting faculty members. The administration is now preparing to take the process further with the planned launch of a comprehensive e-Services Portal. The upcoming platform is expected to streamline requests related to campus maintenance and other facilities. Officials hope the system will allow infrastructure-related problems to be reported and addressed more quickly without disrupting academic activities. Alumni records also going digital GCU’s digital reforms are not limited to current campus operations. The university is also working on a major project to digitise the records of its alumni, expanding technology-based management beyond day-to-day administration. The move towards a paperless campus could ultimately reduce paperwork, improve record management and provide university officials with faster access to important information. With administrative processes increasingly moving online, GCU Lahore is positioning itself as an example of how Pakistan’s public-sector universities can use digital technology to make governance faster, more transparent and more efficient.

ISLAMABAD, July 26: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that facilities and development projects built for the public should not be described as gifts. He said these projects are the people’s right. In a video statement, Bilawal said people were being told about promises involving buses, roads and airports. He welcomed every project aimed at improving public facilities. He said he would welcome every new bus service. He would also welcome every road, hospital and airport built for the people. However, Bilawal stressed that such facilities should not be presented as gifts to the public. He said the people have a right to better transport, healthcare, roads and other basic services. The PPP chairman said his party had also taken practical steps instead of making only promises. He claimed that around 3,000 new employment opportunities had been created through PPP initiatives. Bilawal also spoke about Mirpur Airport. He said he had personally worked to secure funds for the airport in the previous budget. He said the allocation was made during the budget process to support the airport project. He presented the initiative as part of efforts to improve facilities for the people of the region. Bilawal also criticised his political opponents while discussing development work in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He said it appeared that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz were standing with their minister. The PPP chairman also referred to a stadium where his political opponents had recently addressed a gathering. He said the stadium was constructed during a previous PPP government. Bilawal said his focus was not limited to development projects. He said he wanted the people of Kashmir to receive their fundamental political and economic rights. He specifically mentioned the right to governance, ownership and employment. According to Bilawal, providing these rights to the people would be more important than announcing development projects as gifts. He said people should have ownership over the resources and development of their region. They should also have access to employment opportunities. Bilawal maintained that governments must fulfil their responsibilities towards citizens. Public infrastructure, he said, should be viewed as an entitlement. He added that roads, hospitals, transport services and airports are built using public resources. Therefore, they should not be used as political gifts.