Pakistan Association Dubai set to go paperless

DUBAI: Pakistan Association Dubai — the largest centre of Pakistanis in the United Arab Emirates — will become a paperless organisation by the end of the current year while it will also hold a ‘Green Summit’ to raise awareness about environmental changes.

This was stated by Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) President Dr Faisal Ikram while speaking in the ‘Guest in Town’ programme of the Pakistan Journalist Forum, UAE.

Dr Faisal said that the United Arab Emirates will host the World Environmental Conference (COP28) at the Dubai Expo City — from November 30 to December 12 this year — and added that Pakistan Association Dubai will also actively participate in the event.

The Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations climate convention is held every year to promote environmental awareness and prevention of climate change. The participants discuss ways to find solutions to the issue of climate change.

“Keeping in mind the upcoming COP28 in the UAE, Pakistan Association Dubai has also decided to organise the ‘Green Summit’. We want the Pakistani community living in the United Arab Emirates to also be aware of the environmental changes. The awareness and consciousness gained can be used to prevent the negative effects of climate change,” Dr Faisal said.

Discussing the plan to abandon paper to improve the environment, the PAD president said that the association has currently reduced the use of paper for documents by 90 percent and by the end of this year, 100 percent of the transactions will be digitised.

Dr Faisal informed that at present paper is being used only in the affairs of the welfare section, but not for long.

It should be noted that in 2021, Dubai became the first region in the world to abandon the use of paper for documents.

PAD President Dr Faisal said that the association is implementing the vision of the Government of Dubai under which Pakistan Association Dubai is taking environment-friendly measures and is committed to eliminate the use of paper completely.

Dr Faisal said that Pakistan Association Dubai was awarded the ‘Dubai Quality Award’ by the Government of Dubai in 2023 due to its excellent performance in the United Arab Emirates.

The Dubai Quality Award was launched several years ago with the aim of improving the quality and productivity of existing institutions in the UAE by promoting service excellence. In addition, the award encourages the spirit of competition among different business sectors, industries and local and international brands.

“It is a great honour not only for the association but also for the Pakistani community to receive this award for the second time in a row,” Dr Faisal said.