ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi underlined need for capacity building of civil servants by ensuring provision of quality training to civil servants as per international best practices to improve public service delivery. This, he added would enable them to appreciate, handle and resolve wide-ranging and ever-evolving challenges faced by government in heterogeneous, pluralistic and diverse socio-political context of Pakistan.

Chairing a meeting of Board of Governors (BoG) of National School of Public Policy (NSPP) here at Aiwan-e-Sadr President Alvi urged NSPP to integrate Artificial Intelligence, utilise online and hybrid modes of learning in its training procedures and standard operating procedures (SOPs) and upgrade its education modules to fine tune civil servants’ skills for making timely and informed decisions.

It would help deliver efficient and quality services to general public as well as help in automation of trade, commerce and business-related processes and procedures, which were paramount for speedy and meaningful development and progress of country. President said adopting online training modules by NSPP would increase its reach and effectiveness for imparting quality and relevant training to civil servants without incurring additional expenditures which were, otherwise, required for setting up physical training facilities.

He emphasised launch of short-duration training courses to impart specific and sector-specific skills required by government officers for better service delivery in special and technical disciplines. Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives/Vice Chairman of BoG of NSPP Ahsan Iqbal highlighted need for improving collective service delivery by bureaucracy. He underlined need to introduce IT-based technology platforms for imparting quality training, both short and long-term, to officers stationed in far-flung areas of country as well as smaller towns and cities. He proposed conversion of NSPP into a degree-awarding institution on pattern of National Defence University (NDU).

BoG members and senior officials of government and NSPP attended meeting. Board of Governors communicated its decisions to NSPP on agenda items presented before meeting. National Institute of Public Policy is a research institute of NSPP on public policy. Its mission is to develop policy research and dialogue capabilities for addressing wide-ranging and ever-evolving challenges of government in heterogeneous, pluralistic and diverse socio-political context of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, President Dr Arif appreciated support provided by Saudi Arabia during difficult times especially assistance provided in wake of recent catastrophic climate change-induced super floods in country. Talking to Ambassador of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmad Al Malikiy who called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr President said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had enjoyed close political ties over years, however, both countries needed to take meaningful and effective steps to significantly increase existing bilateral trade volume of $ 4.6 billion in year 2021-22 as it did not fully reflect depth of bilateral relations between two brotherly countries.

Published in The Daily National Courier, October, 01 2022

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