Pakistan, Azerbaijan agree to establish ‘Asan Khidmat Markaz’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Azerbaijan on Wednesday agreed to establish an Asan Khidmat Markaz in federal capital – a one-window public service facility aimed at streamlining citizen services – as part of broader cooperation in governance and digital reform.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the decision follows Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit to Baku, where he visited one of Azerbaijan’s centralised Asan service centres.

Inspired by the model, the prime minister directed relevant authorities to replicate the initiative with Azerbaijani technical assistance.

“This is a revolutionary step in public service delivery,” Sharif said during a meeting with Ulvi Mehdiyev, chairman of Azerbaijan’s State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations (SAPSSI), which oversees the country’s digital transformation efforts.

The Islamabad centre, expected to bring multiple government services under one roof, will offer integrated access to national identity processing, business facilitation and other citizen services – an effort officials say will reduce red tape and improve transparency.

Sharif said all appointments at the new facility would be made on merit and through transparent procedures. He also instructed that the planned Business Facilitation Centre be incorporated into the same structure, allowing both citizens and entrepreneurs to benefit from unified services.

“The centre will support our shift towards a cashless economy and could serve as a model for replication in other cities,” he added, while thanking the Azerbaijani government for its technical support and guidance.

During the meeting, a formal agreement was signed between SAPSSI and Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication. The move was described by both sides as a step towards deepening bilateral ties in governance and public-sector innovation.

Senior cabinet members including Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, IT Minister Shaza Fatima, and others were present at the signing ceremony.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025