During my short stay in the UAE, I observed that what was once a backward desert just a few decades ago has now rapidly entered the digital age.
The UAE’s progress and prosperity, the provision of excellent civic facilities, effective decision-making, good governance and timely dissemination of information are largely driven by adopting a paperless work environment.
I had witnessed a similar impressive situation during my recent visit to the US. Most government-level file work, policy drafting, consultations and approvals in the US are conducted online. The White House, the Pentagon, the State Department and other federal institutions not only conduct virtual internal meetings but also use digital platforms for timely consultations on domestic and international issues. Every digital action is securely recorded, which not only enhances administrative efficiency but also ensures legal transparency.
China, the world’s second-largest economy, also places special emphasis on promoting a paperless office culture. By adopting digital governance as a state policy, policy meetings, reviews of development projects and emergency sessions are held on digital platforms, from the central government down to the provincial and district levels, resulting in significant time and resource savings. A distinctive feature of the Chinese model is that digital governance is linked to the performance monitoring of government officials, ensuring accountability and efficiency.
India has, over the past decade, made government e-filing, e-noting and digital signatures an integral part of administrative discipline under its ‘Digital India’ program. In Singapore, one of the four Asian Tigers, online meetings are prioritised, while in-person meetings are considered a last option.
Estonia is regarded as a global role model for digital governance, with even cabinet decisions approved through digital signatures. In the UK, the paperless office system is being successfully implemented under the ‘Digital by Default’ policy. The UN has also been significantly adopting digital documentation and virtual meetings, even linking the paperless system with environmental protection and the SDGs.
Unfortunately, in our country, the colonial-era file culture remains a bitter reality. In government departments, even a simple summary can take months to move. Files pass through multiple desks; days and weeks are wasted waiting for signatures. Sometimes the officer is on leave, while at other times, clerical staff use delaying tactics. Excuses of being busy in meetings are commonly heard.
It is my personal observation that every bureaucrat’s office is overloaded with lots of files. Even government officials used to carry large bundles of documents during the briefings to parliamentary standing committees. Members of parliament have been officially provided with iPads, yet dependence on paper has not ended. Travel for attending official meetings – along with staff, protocol, daily allowances, accommodation, meal and security arrangements – also places a heavy burden on the national exchequer, while officials’ absence from their primary offices adversely affects the discharge of core responsibilities.
As a patriotic Pakistani, one question constantly echoes in my mind: can Pakistan truly compete in the race for progress and prosperity in the 21st century with a 19th-century administrative approach? After 25 years into the 21st century, the world has entered a decisive phase of the digital revolution, where the speed of governance, transparency and decision-making capacity will judge the performance of states.
In my view, a paperless office is not at all about saving paper; this digital approach ensures good governance, whereas the traditional file culture facilitates corruption, bribery, favouritism, discrimination and escape from responsibility. Another major positive aspect of a paperless system is environmental protection.
We must recognise that in-person meetings not only waste valuable public resources but also severely disrupt the routine operations of government offices. There is, therefore, a dire need to implement paperless governance, including online Zoom meetings, to ensure high-quality civic services and to relieve tax-burdened citizens of unnecessary travel and logistical expenses for government officials.
Otherwise, an obsolete bureaucratic system weighed down by heavy files will continue to paralyse state performance and leave future generations trapped in an outdated administrative structure.
The writer is a member of the National Assembly and patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council. He tweets/posts @RVankwani
