American siblings reunite with Thai man who saved their family during the Vietnam War

QUETTA: A sudden suspension of mobile phone and internet services has disrupted daily activities across Quetta, leaving residents struggling to communicate, conduct business and access essential online services. The connectivity shutdown affected a wide range of people, including students, healthcare professionals, traders, delivery workers and journalists. Many residents were unable to make calls, send messages or use internet-based services. Students were among those facing major difficulties. Those relying on online classes and digital learning platforms could not access study material or communicate with teachers and classmates. The disruption also affected students preparing assignments and completing other academic tasks online. The outage created problems for healthcare workers as well. Doctors, medical staff and patients often depend on mobile phones and internet services for communication. The interruption made it harder to coordinate with colleagues, contact patients and exchange important medical information. Businesses and traders also faced disruptions. Many shops and small businesses now depend on digital payments, online orders and messaging applications. The suspension affected their ability to communicate with customers and manage routine transactions. Delivery riders were particularly affected because they rely heavily on mobile applications and phone calls to receive orders, locate customers and coordinate deliveries. The loss of connectivity made these routine tasks considerably more difficult. The shutdown also created challenges for journalists reporting from Quetta. Reporters faced difficulties contacting sources, verifying information and sending updates from the field. The lack of reliable communication can slow down coverage, particularly when events are developing quickly. For ordinary residents, the disruption meant difficulty staying in touch with family members, friends and colleagues. People who depend on mobile services for work and other essential activities were forced to deal with additional inconvenience.

The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has credited pre-monsoon flood protection measures with preventing urban flooding in Gujrat during the recent spell of heavy rains. Managing Director WASA, Kashan Hafeez, said the city remained safe from potential flooding because of advance planning and the timely completion of key drainage projects before the arrival of the monsoon season. He said a three-kilometre-long protective drain constructed along Mehsam Mor and Fatehpur Road proved highly effective in managing the flow of rainwater. According to him, the project successfully diverted excess water away from residential and commercial areas, significantly reducing the risk of flooding. Kashan Hafeez said rainwater was redirected toward the Halsey Nullah through the newly developed drainage network. By channeling water into natural waterways, authorities were able to prevent water from accumulating in densely populated neighborhoods and major roads. He added that the drainage system functioned as planned despite heavy rainfall, allowing rainwater to flow smoothly without causing widespread disruption to daily life or damage to infrastructure. The WASA chief said the protective drainage network was developed under a Rs2 billion infrastructure project aimed at strengthening Gujrat’s flood management system. As part of the initiative, four major protective drains were constructed to improve stormwater disposal and enhance the city’s resilience against seasonal flooding. He said the successful performance of the project demonstrates the importance of proactive planning and investment in urban infrastructure. According to WASA, the newly built drainage system will continue to play a vital role in protecting Gujrat from future monsoon-related flooding and ensuring the safety of residents during periods of heavy rainfall.

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.