By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: President Dr. Arif Alvi has urged the need to adopt international best practices and modern technological tools by the Public Sector Audit and Accounts Departments for better financial control and ensuring efficient and transparent use of public funds in the best interest of people of Pakistan.
These comments were stated by President Dr. Arif Alvi on Monday at Aiwan-e-Sadr while addressing the officers in the 49th Specialized Training Programme (STP) of the Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service (PAAS). Senior government officials including the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP), Muhammad Ajmal Gondal, Additional Auditor General of Pakistan, Syed Sajjad Haider, Rector PAAS Academy, Ms. Namana Gulrukh Fareed, attended the meeting.
Talking to the newly-inducted Civil Servants, the President advised them to keep on updating their knowledge and professional and communication skills and technical expertise and to discharge their official responsibilities with humility, justice and ready accessibility to the common man.
According to President Dr. Arif Alvi, technical advancements are occurring at an exponential rate while our decision-makers and civil servants continue to use a linear decision-making process. In order to stay current and relevant in the era of technological advancements occurring at breakneck speed, he said, “We need to adopt critical technologies like blockchain, virtual reality, and augmented reality in the office processes and procedures, along with making the right decisions at the right time and serving the nation with the passion.” He added that automating government operations and moving to cashless transactions could aid in better monitoring of government spending and greater financial oversight in the public good.
The President said that he had been advocating the adoption of online, distance learning and hybrid means of learning and working from home for a long time but the COVID-19 lockdown had proved as a catalyst to change our thinking patterns and work attitudes toward this effective and fast-paced means of imparting education and knowledge. He added that a large educated and skilled population could be an asset and a source of wealth and prosperity for the nation.
The President expressed sadness that women were denied their legal rights as a result of regional traditions and cultural practises in response to a query regarding the low involvement of women in the workforce. Although legislation were passed to grant women property rights, he claimed that in some areas of the nation women were still confined on the margins due to deeply ingrained social and cultural traditions. He claimed that a significant mainstreaming of women who make up over half of the population—is the only way to significantly improve Pakistan’s dreadful socioeconomic indices.
He called upon the civil society, media, women parliamentarians and women’s organizations to play their proactive role in ensuring women’s inclusion in the workforce for their socio-economic empowerment. “Media should portray women as financially and economically empowered persons to serve as role models and help in raising awareness regarding the pressing need for women empowerment in the country”, he added.
President Dr. Arif Alvi also called for the need of imparting fast-paced quality education to youth and women and equip them with optimized skills through conventional and online and hybrid modes of learning.
