LAHORE: The Executive Development Institute (EDI) of the National School of Public Policy (NSPP), Lahore, conducted the 7th series of the Two-Day Public Financial Management (PFM-VII) Training Workshop from Thursday, 11th to Friday, 12th September 2025. This Public Financial Management Training was designed to strengthen participants’ skills in fiscal governance and practical resource management.
The PFM-VII Training Initiative develops competencies in budgeting, accounting, auditing, and fiscal literacy. Moreover, it deepens knowledge of fiscal federalism and equitable intergovernmental finance. The program also explores the transformative role of AI in driving fiscal growth and governance. Additionally, it identifies challenges and solutions in tax compliance and fiscal transparency. This allows participants to analyze real-world issues and propose reform-oriented strategies.
A total of 41 participants attended from across the country. They included civil officers from federal and provincial governments, as well as private sector executives. Key representatives came from the Senate Secretariat, National Assembly Secretariat, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, PAC-Kamra, PTA, PEMRA, PPRA, HEC, IBCC, Pakistan Mint, PUNJMIN, Mines & Mineral Department-Punjab, Finance Department-Baluchistan, Military Lands & Cantonments-Peshawar, NESCOM, OGDCL, UMT, NUTECH, LCWU, Islam Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd., Alfalah Insurance Company, NIPA, and EDI-NSPP, Lahore. Consequently, their presence ensured diverse perspectives and enriched discussions.
Dr. Naveed Elahi, Dean EDI, launched the 7th PFM Course by warmly welcoming participants. He expressed delight at the varied mix of attendees. In his opening remarks, he highlighted PFM-VII’s importance in strengthening fiscal governance and promoting efficient resource use. The program combines theory with practice. It builds expertise in budgeting, debt management, taxation, transparency, and accountability. Furthermore, by bringing together key stakeholders, it addresses Pakistan’s fiscal challenges. It also promotes practical solutions in procurement, PPPs, accounting, auditing, and financial reporting.
Mr. Kamran Ahmad, Director EDI, presented the institute’s performance and goals in detail. He emphasized that EDI selects experts from academia, practice, and training sectors to provide a 360° view of public finance issues. In addition, he reviewed past successful courses and highlighted the diverse representation of participants from all over Pakistan.
On the first day, eminent speakers included Dr. Ishrat Hussain, Former Advisor to the Prime Minister and Governor SBP; Mr. Sibtain Fazal Halim, Former MD Punjab Mass Transit Authority; and Dr. Arshad Hasan, Associate Professor/CFO, Lahore School of Economics. They discussed topics such as “Introduction to Public Financial Management: Achieving Public Finance Objectives and Strategic Pathways to Reform,” “Procurement and Public Private Partnership (PPP),” and “Strengthening Tax Compliance and Public Financial Management in Pakistan: Challenges and Reforms.”
On the second day, Mr. Tariq Bajwa, Ex-SAPM on Finance & Former Governor SBP, addressed participants via Zoom on “Concept of Fiscal Federalism and National Finance Commission (NFC).” Dr. Waqar Masood Khan, Senior Partner at Khan & Ali Associates and Former Federal Finance Secretary, shared insights on budgeting, accounting, auditing, and financial literacy for managers. Ms. Namana Gulrukh Fareed, Accountant General Punjab, presented on “Improving Fiscal Transparency in Pakistan: The Role of Standardized Financial Reporting.” Finally, Mr. Faisal Rashid, Senior Consultant at Oxford Policy Management, and Dr. Rizwan Basharat, Collector of Customs (Appraisement), led a panel discussion on “Public Finances for Growth: AI’s Transformative Role.”
Participants actively engaged in all Q&A sessions. They expressed gratitude to EDI-NSPP for the excellent execution of the PFM-VII Training Workshop. At the conclusion, Rector NSPP, Dr. Jamil Afaqi, gave a vote of thanks. Along with Dean EDI, he distributed certificates to all participants. Overall, the workshop successfully enhanced knowledge and fostered collaboration among civil servants and private sector executives. It emphasized the role of Public Financial Management Training in strengthening Pakistan’s fiscal governance.
