The governments of Pakistan and Japan have signed a JPY 379 million (US$2.63 million) grant agreement to support the Human Resource Development Scholarship Program (JDS) 2025. This initiative will fund 17 scholarships for Pakistani civil servants to pursue higher education in Japan, marking the 8th phase of the program since 2018.
The signing ceremony took place at the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Islamabad. Dr. Kazim Niaz, Secretary of the Ministry, and Akamatsu Shuichi, Japan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, signed the Record of Discussions and Exchange of Notes.
Miran Mohiyuddin Somroo, Senior Joint Secretary, and Naoaki Miyata, JICA’s Chief Representative in Pakistan, signed the Grant Agreement. Senior officials from the ministry also attended.
Japan, through JICA, has consistently supported Pakistan through the JDS initiative. This year’s grant includes 16 master’s and one PhD scholarship for Federal Civil Service and Ex-Cadre officers.
Since its inception in 2018, JDS has trained seven batches of about 18 participants each, enhancing their skills and contributions to national development. Japan also offers short-term training opportunities for Pakistani government officials in various sectors to build further capacity. The agreement reflects both nations’ ongoing commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and expanding technical cooperation.
