119th Advance Railway Course participants visit EAD

ISLAMABAD (APP): The international delegates participating in the 119th Advance Railway Course, conducted by the Pakistan Technical Assistance Programme (PTAP) here on Tuesday visited the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) to attend a meeting for fostering collaboration and addressing critical aspects of the ongoing program, said a press release issued here.

Chaired by Dr. Kazim Niaz, Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the meeting was attended by senior officials from both the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Pakistan Railways, alongside senior-level participants from Azerbaijan, Uganda, Ghana, Tanzania, and Sri Lanka.

The Secretary Economic Affairs extended a warm welcome to the participants, expressing gratitude for their active engagement in the 119th Advance Railway Program. He underscored the significance of PTAP as a demonstration of the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to enhancing technical expertise and promoting global collaboration.

The Government of Pakistan has been providing technical assistance to friendly developing countries through PTAP since its establishment in 1976, he said. The Secretary emphasized that international collaboration is instrumental in establishing global partnerships that transcend geographical boundaries, fostering joint initiatives, research, and development for the collective well-being of nations.

During the meeting, the participants expressed their sincere gratitude to MoEA for sponsoring their training program under the PTAP Initiative, and thanked Pakistan for investing in their growth and fostering international collaboration. The delegation expressed overall satisfaction with the training program and was hopeful that it would contribute immensely in their professional development.

The participants shared valuable suggestions, including the implementation of an analysis program to measure effectiveness, with a specific focus on lecture room experiences. In response, the Secretary proposed collaboration with partner training institutions like Pakistan Railways Academy to further improve the training modules.

He underscored the importance of meticulous course planning, balancing lecture room learning with field tours. The optimization of the program’s duration and the proactive sharing of brochures with participants before the training were identified as essential improvements.

The meeting concluded on a positive note, with constructive suggestions made for enhancing the effectiveness of the 119th Advance Railway program.