LAHORE: As many as 55 Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) officers from across all provinces, including Gilgit-Baltistan, on Friday completed the 48th Specialised Training Programme (STP) at the Civil Services Academy, Lahore.

A passing out ceremony of the training parade was attended by 30 officers from Punjab, nine from Sindh, five from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, three from Balochistan, one each from FATA and Azad Jammu & Kashmir, as well as six officers from the Gilgit-Baltistan Service.

The officers were trained in different key areas, including public governance, district administration, revenue management, financial management, and human rights. Specialised modules on modern governance, sustainable governance, and climate action were also part of the curriculum.

During the training, officers were provided hands-on experience through attachments with various government departments and institutions. Field attachments enabled them to closely observe district administration and service delivery mechanisms. Workshops on e-governance, cybersecurity, and modern administrative skills were also conducted. The graduating officers reaffirmed their commitment to serving the nation with dedication and integrity.

National School of Public Policy Rector and Civil Services Academy Director-General Dr Farhan Aziz Khwaja congratulated the graduating officers and stressed that choosing civil service was a decision of great responsibility, and officers must always carry the spirit of public service as their guiding principle. He said the Civil Services Academy had continued producing highly trained human resources for the nation, capable of playing a constructive and positive role in society and governance.

Dr Khwaja distributed certificates and shields among officers who demonstrated outstanding performance in academic and co-curricular activities.

At the group level, Syndicate Group IV was declared the best group for presenting an outstanding research study on “The gap between disaster management policy and practice,” led by Mah Rukh Malik. The “Social Protection” society was recognised as the best weekly society.

Khansa Malik was awarded the President’s Gold Medal for overall best performance, while Adil Riaz received the award for best performance in academics.

The ceremony was attended by PAS Director Dr Faisal Zahoor, Administration Director Bilal Akram, MCMC Additional Director Nazia Jabeen, PAS Additional Director Usman Ali, and other officers. Senior PAS officer Saman Rai, Dr Naveed Elahi from NSPP, and Faruq Adeel from NIPA also attended the ceremony.

At the conclusion of the event, graduating officers, the chief guest, and faculty members participated in a plantation drive and planted saplings to promote environmental sustainability.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2026