Pakistan, Japan Sign $2.2m Grant for Civil Servant Training

Pakistan and Japan signed a $2.2 million Japan grant agreement on Tuesday. The deal will expand training opportunities for Pakistani civil servants.

Scholarships for 17 officials

The agreement will support 17 federal officials pursuing postgraduate studies in Japan. Sixteen officials will study for master’s degrees, while one will pursue a PhD.
Economic Affairs Secretary Muhammad Hameer Karim and Japanese Ambassador Akamatsu Shuichi signed the Record of Discussions. Senior officials from JICA and Pakistan’s Economic Affairs Ministry also attended the ceremony.
The Human Resources Development Scholarship Programme began in Pakistan in 2018. Since then, eight batches of Pakistani civil servants have benefited from the programme.
Japan also offers short-term training courses for Pakistani government officials. These programmes aim to improve professional skills and strengthen public-sector capacity.
Karim thanked Japan for its continued support. He also highlighted the importance of stronger cooperation between both countries.
The Japanese ambassador and JICA’s chief representative reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation.

JICA expands development cooperation

The grant follows recent talks between Pakistan and JICA. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently called for stronger cooperation in skills, minerals and small businesses.
JICA President Dr Tanaka Akihiko said the agency could expand support across several sectors. These include health, education, development and technical training.
The agency also expressed interest in industrial development and vocational education. In addition, JICA could support projects in both urban and rural areas.
Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema also discussed infrastructure and connectivity with the JICA delegation. He invited JICA to help finance the Main Line-1 railway project.
Pakistan also sought support for better internet infrastructure in rural areas. Both sides discussed feasibility studies for major development projects.
JICA said feasibility studies remain one of its key strengths. The sides also discussed skills training and tourism linked to Gandhara heritage sites.