AJK polls underway as 1.4m voters cast ballots

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.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of the failure to conduct a CT angiography (CTA) test at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) after PTI founder Imran Khan was taken to the hospital for a medical examination. The prime minister has formed an inquiry committee to investigate why the recommended cardiac test could not be performed and determine whether the required facilities were available at the hospital. The committee will be headed by the secretary of the Establishment Division and will include senior officials and medical experts from the National Health Services ministry, Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) and PIMS. The inquiry will examine whether PIMS had the technical capacity to conduct CTA scans since 2022. It will also determine whether the necessary equipment, software and trained staff were available when the test was recommended. The committee will review hospital records to establish how many CTA procedures have been conducted at PIMS since 2022 and whether patients requiring the test were routinely referred to private medical facilities. The investigation will also examine coordination between the cardiology and radiology departments and determine whether administrative shortcomings contributed to the failure to conduct the test. According to hospital officials, Imran Khan was brought to PIMS in the early hours of Friday for a medical check-up. His CTA was recommended, but the test was not carried out and he was subsequently taken back to Adiala Jail. The issue has raised questions about the availability and use of diagnostic facilities at the public-sector hospital. Officials said a CTA machine in the cardiac centre had remained out of service for years, while another machine in the radiology department was reportedly operational. The inquiry will specifically determine whether hospital staff were aware of the functioning radiology facility and why the patient was not referred there for the required examination. The committee will also investigate whether poor coordination, mismanagement or a misunderstanding between departments caused the failure and whether any officials should be held responsible. It has further been tasked with examining referrals to private hospitals, including whether any particular private facility was repeatedly preferred and whether such referrals resulted in the diversion of patients and revenue from the public hospital. Prime Minister Shehbaz has directed the committee to conduct a comprehensive review of all relevant records and facts and submit its findings. Further action will be taken on the basis of the inquiry report and in accordance with the law.

ISLAMABAD: Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide arrived in Islamabad on Thursday for an official two-day visit, marking the first visit by a Norwegian foreign minister to Pakistan in a decade and opening a fresh chapter in bilateral engagement. Eide, who is visiting Pakistan on the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, was received at Islamabad International Airport by Additional Foreign Secretary for Europe Ambassador Ayesha Ali. He later held a meeting with Dar at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where the two sides are expected to discuss a broad range of issues concerning Pakistan-Norway relations. According to the Foreign Office, Eide’s visit will continue through August 14 and include delegation-level talks between the two countries. The discussions are expected to focus on areas where Islamabad and Oslo see potential for stronger cooperation. Trade and investment will be among the key subjects, while climate change, renewable energy and education are also expected to feature prominently in the talks. The two sides will additionally explore ways to strengthen people-to-people contacts. The visit comes at a time when Pakistan is seeking to deepen economic and diplomatic partnerships with European countries, particularly in areas linked to investment, clean energy and sustainable development. Beyond bilateral matters, the foreign ministers are also expected to exchange views on important regional and international developments. This could give the two sides an opportunity to discuss shared concerns and assess developments affecting the wider region. The Foreign Office said the visit builds on a series of high-level contacts between Pakistan and Norway in recent months. Dar and Eide held telephone conversations in March and April, while Norwegian State Secretary Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik visited Islamabad in May. The two countries have also maintained engagement through diplomatic channels, with both sides showing interest in expanding cooperation beyond traditional areas. Eide’s arrival therefore carries significance not only because of its timing but also because of the gap since the last visit by a Norwegian foreign minister. The trip provides an opportunity to translate recent diplomatic contacts into practical cooperation. For Islamabad, stronger ties with Norway could bring opportunities in trade, investment, renewable energy and education. For Oslo, deeper engagement with Pakistan offers a chance to strengthen relations with an important South Asian partner. The Foreign Office described the visit as an opportunity to further strengthen the “longstanding and cordial relations” between the two countries and identify new areas of mutually beneficial cooperation. With formal talks now underway, attention will turn to whether the two-day visit produces concrete initiatives that can give Pakistan-Norway relations fresh momentum.