Technical support: Punjab bureaucrats arrive to streamline governance in G-B

Officials were sent by Shahbaz on G-B Chief Minister Hafeezur Rahman’s request

GILGIT:

Senior bureaucrats from Punjab government are visiting Gilgit-Baltistan in a bid to improve the operation of government offices in the region.

An official privy to the development told The Express Tribune on Wednesday the visit aims to provide technical support to the administrative structure of the regional government.

“The G-B government had extended the invitation earlier this year,” he said. “The visit was finalised after Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Hafeezur Rahman’s recent visit to Punjab.”



According to the official, Rahman sought technical and administrative assistance from Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to run government affairs smoothly and account for the wishes of the people.

“The team comprises secretaries who are serving in planning, health, education, finance, development and other departments in Punjab government,” the official said. “They have been sent by Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif on
Rahman’s request.”

The official said G-B and Punjab governments recently constituted a coordination committee of secretary and deputy level officials.

“Through this forum, members will make a series of visits and learn from one another’s experiences,” he said.

“One of the meetings of the committee was held in Lahore while the second meeting of the series took place in Gilgit,” he said.

Earlier, the G-B chief minister said the visit would help officials in the G-B government to seek technical assistance from bureaucrats in Punjab.

“The Punjab government has been successful in terms of governance,” he said. “This is the reason we are seeking technical assistance from bureaucrats in the province.”

He said the secretaries from G-B would also visit Punjab to take part in the sessions.

The Punjab CM will also be visiting the region in
March 2016.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th,  2015.