ISLAMABAD – Japan has allocated $263 million in scholarships for Pakistani civil servants as part of a new agreement aimed at strengthening education and public sector development.
The agreement was signed earlier this week by Dr. Kazim Niaz, Secretary of Economic Affairs, and the Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan. Under this initiative, selected federal officers will pursue Master’s degrees at leading Japanese universities in fields related to governance, policy, and public administration.
The program is part of the Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) initiative, implemented in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). According to the Economic Affairs Division, 16 federal employees will be sent to Japan in the latest phase of the program.
Since its launch in 2018, the scholarship scheme has already supported seven groups of Pakistani civil servants, many of whom have returned to take on senior roles in government, using their international training to improve policymaking, project management, and institutional capacity.
Dr. Kazim Niaz praised Japan’s continued support for Pakistan’s development, calling the scholarships “a long-term investment in human capital that will strengthen governance and help deliver better services to the people.”
Officials say the initiative not only deepens Pakistan-Japan bilateral ties but also equips professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to drive meaningful reform in the public sector.
