PROVINCE REPORT
LAHORE: A twelve-member delegation of senior civil servants from Bangladesh, currently on a twenty-day official visit to Pakistan, visited the National School of Public Policy (NSPP), where they were accorded a warm and befitting reception.
Rector NSPP, Mr. Farhan Aziz Khawaja, formally welcomed the distinguished guests. The Deans of the Staff College, National Institute of Public Policy (NIPP), and Executive Development Institute (EDI), Sahibzada Shahzad Sultan and Dr. Naveed Elahi, were also present on the occasion. Both Deans delivered brief presentations highlighting the mandate, training programmes, and achievements of their respective institutions.
Director General National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA), Mr. Farooq Mazhar, along with the faculty of the Staff College, introduced themselves and engaged the delegates in an open and productive exchange, responding to their queries with candour and depth.
Speaking on the occasion, Rector NSPP Mr. Farhan Aziz Khawaja observed that the civil services of Pakistan and Bangladesh draw from the same wellspring of administrative tradition, founded on integrity, dedication, and public service. He remarked that the visit offered a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences in civil service training, governance, and public administration, and to learn from each other’s institutional best practices. He also expressed his vision and firm desire to explore avenues for long-term collaboration and structured exchange programmes between the two countries.
Dean NIPP/EDI Dr. Naveed Elahi presented the visiting officers with copies of the Journal of Pakistan Administration, research reports published by NIPP, and Rector NSPP/DG CSA presented coffee table books on the Civil Services Academy and National School of Public Policy as a gesture of academic goodwill. On the occasion, he underscored that such visits play an important role in strengthening personal and professional bonds between the civil servants of Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The Head of the Bangladeshi delegation, Ms. Salma Sadiqa Mehtab, expressed her heartfelt gratitude for the warm welcome and exceptional hospitality extended by Rector NSPP Mr. Farhan Aziz Khawaja and his teams at both the National School of Public Policy and the Civil Services Academy. She remarked that the delegation found their stay in Pakistan and the training programme highly enriching, pleasant, and memorable.
The evening concluded with a dinner hosted in honour of the delegation, complemented by a special musical evening arranged to showcase the warmth of Pakistani hospitality and cultural heritage. Renowned artists Noor Zehra, Liaquat Ali Gohar, and Rakea Jamil Rehman entertained the distinguished guests with captivating performances.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, commemorative shields, gifts, and souvenirs were also presented to the members of the delegation to preserve the pleasant memories of their visit.
Concluding the event, Rector NSPP Mr. Farhan Aziz Khawaja remarked:
“This visit marks the beginning of a long, fruitful, and ever-deepening partnership between our institutions.”
Among the NSPP officers who participated in welcoming the delegation were Ms. Irum Bukhari, Mr. Kamran Ahmed, Ms. Bushra Bashir, Capt. (R) Usman, Mr. Asim Iqbal, Dr. Saifullah, Ms. Ishrat Akhter, Mr. Jehanzeb Waheed, Mr. Fayaz Mian, and others.
