PM Sharif hails Azerbaijan's support in launching Pakistan’s first ASAN Service Pledges countrywide expansion of the centres

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed gratitude to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for his extraordinary support in establishing Pakistan’s first ASAN Service centre, noting that with Azerbaijan's support, the system will eventually be expanded across Pakistan.

Sharif made the remarks today at the opening ceremony of the centre in Islamabad, Caliber.Az reports, citing Pakistani media.

He stressed that the implementation of the ASAN Service initiative in Pakistan would not have been possible without Azerbaijan’s cooperation and methodological support.

The prime minister described ASAN Service as a key step toward citizen-oriented governance, improving the quality of public services, and simplifying business procedures.

He noted that the centre brings together several government institutions under one roof, including the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the police, the Federal Board of Revenue, and other agencies, enabling services to be delivered efficiently, transparently, and in a citizen-friendly manner.

Sharif added that the staff of the Pakistani centre underwent specialised training in Azerbaijan under the guidance of experienced instructors, emphasising that courtesy, professionalism, and friendliness should become the standard of public service.

The prime minister also recalled that during his visit to the ASAN Service centre in Baku, he was impressed by the high efficiency and speed of operations of state bodies, after which he instructed that a similar model be introduced in Pakistan.

He further announced that he has ordered the establishment of similar centres in two more regions of the country, adding that with Azerbaijan’s support, the system will eventually be expanded across Pakistan.

Earlier today, January 15, Pakistan inaugurated its first ASAN Service centre in Islamabad, modelled on Azerbaijan’s public service system. Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, government members, and an Azerbaijani delegation led by Ulvi Mehdiyev, chairman of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations, attended the opening ceremony. 

Initially, the Islamabad centre will provide 64 services through 12 government institutions. It will implement ASAN Service standards, a volunteer programme, and innovative solutions to streamline public service delivery.

The centre was established under an agreement signed by Azerbaijan and Pakistan in September 2025.

In July last year, a Pakistani parliamentary delegation, led by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, visited Baku’s ASAN Service centre to study Azerbaijan’s public service delivery model.

By Khagan Isayev