Shehbaz sets sights on paperless governance

Instructs relevant ministry, institutions to ensure federal govt offices implement the e-office system

ISLAMABAD:

In a step towards digitisation, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed on Sunday the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and related institutions to ensure that federal government offices transition to a paperless environment by implementing the e-office system.

The prime minister asserted that any delay in the adoption of the e-office system will not be tolerated. He has set a firm deadline, mandating that all federal office files must be processed exclusively through the e-office system within the next month.

"From next month onward, I will not review any files that are not submitted via the e-office platform," PM Shehbaz asserted.

The official statement said that the transition to a paperless office environment was among the government's top priorities, aimed at expediting bureaucratic processes and reducing reliance on physical documents.

It further explained that by digitising operations, the government seeks to minimise delays, reduce the risk of document loss, and ensure a more streamlined workflow across all federal offices.

To ensure the smooth implementation of the initiative, the PM has ordered that all government officers must exclusively use the e-office system for file management.

The statement said that the PM Office has already completed the necessary e-office training for its staff, with the prime minister himself beginning to receive files through the new system last week.

"E-Office is a key initiative for promoting digitization and improving governance in Pakistan," the PM stated. He also stressed the importance of this transition in bringing about greater transparency and accountability within government operations.

He instructed that a progress report on the implementation of the e-office system be submitted within the next two weeks.

PM reviews PWD dissolution

Meanwhile, as the government advances towards digitisation, it is also addressing structural changes within its institutions.

In a related development, PM Shehbaz chaired a review meeting regarding the dissolution of the Public Works Department (Pak PWD).

The meeting focused on the final stages and legal aspects of the department's dissolution.

During the meeting, PM Shehbaz was briefed on the progress of the dissolution process and the challenges that remain.

He said that the financial packages offered to outgoing employees as a result of the dissolution would not be extended to individuals who have been accused of committing corruption.

The PM also issued directives for the timely submission of the final plan for transferring ongoing Pak PWD projects to the provinces and related institutions.

"The final proposals regarding the dissolution of Pak PWD should be presented to the Cabinet as soon as possible," the PM instructed.

Furthermore, the prime minister recommended implementing an age relaxation proposal to provide re-employment opportunities for hard-working and honest individuals who served in Pak PWD for a short tenure.