LocationsPakistan Governance Forum 2026: From Reform to Delivery
March 9, 2026
In Pakistan, governance is not an abstract policy debate. It is the operating system that determines whether reforms translate into results. It shapes whether climate finance reaches those most at risk, whether women can safely access services and opportunities, whether markets can compete fairly, and whether citizens experience the state as responsive and just.
That is why the Pakistan Governance Forum (PGF) 2026 mattered: it brought together the institutions that set rules, the practitioners who deliver services, and the partners who support reform around a shared question: how does Pakistan move from ambition to implementation?
Convened by the Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiative in Islamabad on February 25-26, and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), PGF 2026 built on the momentum of the Pakistan Governance Forum 2023 to deepen a national dialogue focused on institutional renewal and delivery.
More than 500 participants and over 100 eminent speakers, including federal and provincial leaders, parliamentarians, senior civil servants, development partners, private sector representatives, civil society, academia, and students, engaged across 25 thematic sessions over two days. Organised under the Government’s URAAN Pakistan initiative and structured around the “5Es” (Equity, Exports, Energy, Environment, and e-Pakistan), the Forum created space to connect reforms across sectors that are often treated in isolation.
Why UNDP Supports PGF & What it Enables
UNDP’s support to PGF reflects a simple reality: Governance is the “how” behind the Sustainable Development Goals – how resources are allocated, how services are delivered, how rights are protected, and how trust is rebuilt. In a context of economic constraints and rising climate risk, improving governance is also about protecting value: reducing waste, increasing effectiveness, and strengthening the ability of the state to deliver at scale.
PGF 2026 reinforced this framing from the outset.
The Forum was inaugurated by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, who emphasized strengthening public institutions and whole of government approach for transparent fiscal management and equitable development. Professor Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, highlighted long-term planning and institutional reform as foundations for sustainable national progress.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif delivering remarks at the inaugural session.
Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal delivering remarks.
Representing UNDP Pakistan, Dr. Samuel Rizk, Resident Representative, emphasized the need to translate Pakistan’s macroeconomic stabilization into sustained, inclusive growth, anchored in stronger institutions, improved delivery, and renewed public trust. This is where governance becomes impact: stronger systems enable predictable rules, coordinated delivery, and citizen-centred services—conditions that attract investment, expand opportunity, and strengthen resilience.
Dr. Samuel Rizk, UNDP Pakistan's Resident Representative, delivering opening remarks.
The Opening Plenary also featured perspectives from Azam Nazeer Tarar, Federal Minister for Law & Justice; Jane Marriott, British High Commissioner to Pakistan; Syed Murad Ali Shah, Chief Minister Sindh; Justice Yar Muhammad, Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan and Muzzamil Aslam, Advisor to the Chief Minister KP on Finance, reinforcing a shared focus on stronger institutions, accountability, digital governance solutions and equitable development.
Day one concluded with a keynote by Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, who reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to peaceful engagement, strategic partnerships, and diplomacy in service of its people.
Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, addressing the Forum at the end of Day 1.
Parliament, Accountability, and the Social Contract
Day two opened with Ayaz Sadiq, Speaker of the National Assembly, who called for strengthening Parliament to ensure transparent and citizen-responsive governance. For UNDP, this emphasis aligns with a core governance principle: durable reform depends on democratic oversight, accountability mechanisms, and institutions that citizens recognise as legitimate.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq opening Day 2 with his remarks.
A key highlight was UNDP’s policy dialogue around the latest edition of its flagship quarterly publication Development Advocate Pakistan on “The Future of Governance and the Social Contract.” Moderated by Dr. Rizk, the session featured Bilal Azhar Kayani, Minister of State for Finance and Railways; Sam Waldock, Development Director, British High Commission; Dr. Saba Gul Khattak, former Member (Social Sector), Planning Commission; and Dr. Mirjam Buedenbender Buchholz, Head of Cooperation, Embassy of Germany. The dialogue examined how governments can rebuild trust through institutional credibility, responsive services, and transparent decision-making—especially as citizens’ expectations evolve and pressures on public systems intensify.
The Takeaway
The Forum concluded with remarks by Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani, who called for a fair and future-ready fiscal framework, while Professor Ahsan Iqbal urged a reimagined intergovernmental compact aligned with Pakistan’s evolving economic realities, underscoring the need for coherent rules, predictable coordination, and institutional clarity to sustain reform.
Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani delivering remarks at the closing of the Forum.
The event also reflected strong UN-wide engagement, underscoring that governance is foundational across development priorities. Heads and senior representatives from multiple UN agencies contributed to panel discussions, including Fuad Pashayev, Representative, UNESCO; Geir Tønstøl, Country Director, ILO; Pernille Ironside, Representative, UNICEF; Jamshed Kazi, Country Representative, UN Women; Van Nguyen, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP; Gulnara Kadyrkulova, Deputy Representative, UNFPA; Thomas Conan, Deputy Country Director, World Food Programme; and Jawed Ali Khan, Country Programme Manager, UN-Habitat.
PGF 2026 reinforces that governance reform should not be a one-off exercise but a consistent delivery agenda. For UNDP, supporting this initiative is part of a broader commitment to strengthening institutions in Pakistan that can plan effectively, spend transparently, coordinate across tiers of government, and deliver services consistently, so that Pakistan’s development ambitions translate into outcomes people can feel.
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