Capacity Building of Future Policymakers: Lessons from CPEC Phase I and the Way Forward for Phase II
On February 27th, 2025, the Centre for Chinese Legal Studies (CCLS), Shaikh Ahmad Hassan School of Law (SAHSOL) at LUMS, in collaboration with the Burki Institute of Public Policy (BIPP), hosted a training session for participants of the Central Superior Services (CSS) 52nd Common. The workshop covered the broad theme area of "Lessons learned from CPEC Phase I and the Way Forward for Phase II". It aimed to develop the capacity of probationary CSP officers for policy making regarding international trade and development agreements.
The welcome remarks were delivered by Dr Sikander Ahmed Shah Director CCLS, in which he welcomed the officers, and thanked Dr Burki. He stressed the topical importance of engaging in research regarding China, citing both its global relevance, and extensive impact on Pakistan.
Dr Abid Aman Burki, Professor of Economics, Emeritus, MGSHSS conducted an in-depth session to inform future policymakers of relevant developments regarding CPEC. Dr Burki introduced the participants to the various power, infrastructure, and SEZ development projects completed under CPEC. He emphasised the importance of evidence-based policy making, and introduced avenues where Pakistan could benefit from Chinese assistance, namely in the production and development of agrotechnology. He lamented that Pakistan's seed technology was not up to the mark, and praised China's technologically advanced seed production, expressing hope that this could be an area for future collaboration between both countries.
He cautioned against Pakistan's unsustainable and ballooning debt and stressed the need for engaging all industry stakeholders in CPEC. He highlighted the importance of taking advantage of access to the Chinese market to diversify and increase exports. He pointed to food production as an important sector in which Pakistan has much to offer China, and identified policies that would help make the agricultural sector in Pakistan competitive. He further criticised Pakistan's reliance on coal power and introduced ways to transition to clean and renewable energy.
Dr Shehryar Sikander Hamid Associate Professor, SAHSOL delivered a primer on State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in Pakistan, and their current financial and administrative status. He introduced key principles for corporate governance, and highlighted the ways in which Pakistan could improve the operation of its SOEs. He further expressed hope that his session would help the participants in their futures, due to the influence of the civil service on SOEs in Pakistan.
The session culminated in an engaging question-and-answer session, in which Dr Burki gave his recommendations for more effective agricultural and economic policies. He stressed the importance of gaining a competitive advantage in cotton and wheat production. He also highlighted policies that were stifling the sustainability of power generation and agriculture in Pakistan.
The workshop concluded with remarks from Dr Ejaz Sandhu, the Director of Operations at BIPP, who congratulated the participants on the conclusion of a successful workshop. He thanked the speakers for their participation, and expressed his hope that the participants would go on to become well-informed policy makers for Pakistan.
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