The third and final day of the IAS-SANPA International Conference 2025 concluded on 1st November 2025 with a dignified Closing Ceremony held at the University of the Punjab, Lahore. The session was moderated by Dr. Amani Moazzam and began with closing remarks by Prof. Dr. Kashif Rathore, Director, IAS, who appreciated the active participation of scholars, practitioners, and students throughout the three-day event. He proposed reciprocal establishment of Bangladesh & Pakistan academic chairs in Punjab University & Dhaka University for facilitating joint teaching and research in different fields. He also proposed an exchange fellowship program between Pakistan & Bangladesh for mid-career civil servants.
Dr. Kashif Rathore expressed that although he was representing IAS on the occasion, the spectacular success of the conference was heavily owed to the dedicated team co-led by Prof. Dr. Yaamina Salman & Dr Amani Moazzam, and diligently worked by Dr. Ghalib Ata, Dr. Sidra Irfan, Dr Sajid Nazir, Dr. Aisha Rizwan, Dr Ahmad Usman, Dr Sohaib Zubair, Dr Zahra Paul, and Dr Samia Tariq.
He especially thanked the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr Muhammad Ali (S.I&T.I) for his academic contribution to the conference and his unwavering support for making this event possible.
On behalf of the entire administration, he also thanked The Chief Guest, Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Minister for Finance, Government of the Punjab, for taking time out of his schedule and providing real practical insights regarding issues pertaining to governance and Administration in Punjab.
Professor Dr. Akhlaq Haque, President of SANPA, also shared his experience of being part of the conference at IAS and extended his gratitude to the management teams of IAS and SANPA for organizing such a successful and impactful event.
Other foreign dignitaries also addressed the ceremony, expressing their appreciation and congratulating both the IAS and SANPA teams for the successful execution of this international academic event.
The honorable minister, Mr Mujtaba Shuja Ur Rehman addressed the ceremony and shared his views on the importance of academic research in shaping effective public policies. He commended the efforts of IAS and SANPA for providing a valuable platform for dialogue between policymakers, researchers and practitioners. He also said that Punjab government is transforming the governance landscape through transparency, technology, and citizen participation. Highlighting the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline, the minister said that Public Finance Management (PFM) reforms had brought greater transparency, accountability, and efficiency in resource utilization.
Dr. Ian C. Elliott from the University of Glasgow expressed his appreciation for the conference, noting that he was particularly impressed by the insights shared by political representatives such as Professor Ahsan Iqbal (Federal Minister for Planning and Development) and Mr. Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman (Punjab Finance Minister). He praised their depth of understanding of public administration and governance issues, observing that such meaningful engagement between academia and policymakers addresses a gap often found in the UK.
In the end, the Chief Guest distributed certificates of recognition and shields of appreciation among the organizers, foreign guests, and the dedicated team that contributed to the success of the conference.
The ceremony marked the conclusion of a productive and intellectually enriching conference that fostered dialogue, collaboration, and shared learning among participants from diverse academic and professional backgrounds.
 
