Debriefing Session on Rwanda Study Visit Organized by Punjab Municipal Development Fund Company and GIZ
Peshawar, June 18, 2025: A significant debriefing session on the "Rwanda Study Visit" was jointly organized by the Punjab Municipal Development Fund Company (PMDFC) and the German development agency GIZ. The session was attended by local government officers from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) who had participated in the Rwanda Study Tour.
Prominent attendees included Mian Shakeel Ahmad (Secretary, Local Government Punjab), Arshad Afridi (Special Secretary, Local Government KP), and Sanjeev Pokhrel (Program Head, GIZ). Other participants included Fazal Akbar (Additional Secretary, KP), Abrar Ahmad (Director Legal, Local Government Punjab), Malik Mansha, as well as other local government officials from both Punjab and KP.
The session started by Mr. Mahmood Masood Tamanna, General Manager (Institutional Development) PMDFC, who introduced the program and briefed the participants on the progress made so far.
Addressing the participants, Secretary Local Government Punjab Mian Shakeel Ahmad stated that effective municipal service delivery requires strong collaboration between the government and the people. He emphasized that public service is the foremost duty of officials, and local government officers must perform their responsibilities with honesty and a strong sense of accountability. He further added that inter-provincial study tours should also be conducted to enable mutual learning and the adoption of successful practices.
Special Secretary Local Government KP, Arshad Afridi, remarked that the visit was a rare opportunity for the officers to observe global best practices up close. Such experiences not only strengthen governance systems but also broaden the perspectives of public officials.
GIZ Program Head, Mr. Sanjeev Pokhrel, commended PMDFC for its outstanding work in building the capacities of local governments, resulting in improved transparency, accountability, and quality of public service delivery.
Participants also shared insights, models, and ideas they had learned during the Rwanda visit and developed joint recommendations for effectively implementing them in Punjab and KP.
GIZ representatives Asim Shafi (Program Component Manager), Adeel, and Sanam Irshad (Advisor, Good Governance) were also present on the occasion.
