LAHORE   -   The Punjab Planning & Development Board signed frameworks of cooperation with leading universities at a ceremony titled “Creating Knowledge Networks with premier universities such as LUMS, LSE, PU, and GCU” here on Monday. Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman and P&D Board Chairman Iftikhar Ali Sahoo attended the ceremony. The frameworks of cooperation envision the creation of long-lasting partnerships between the Planning & Development Board, government of Punjab and the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore School of Economics (LSE), Government College University (GCU), and University of the Punjab (PU). They would pave the way for enduring collaboration and research linkages between P&D Board and the universities in the areas of public policy, sustainable and inclusive economic development and economic policy & management. In his opening remarks, P&D Board Chairman Iftikhar Ali Sahoo extended gratitude to the Chief Secretary and the participants including LUMS Vice Chancellor Dr. Tariq M. Jadoon, LSE Rector Dr. Shahid Amjad Chaudhry, GCU VC Dr. Ahmad Adnan and PU VC Dr. Khalid Mahmood for joining the ceremony. He emphasised that Planning and Development Board was playing a vital role in determining the economic direction of the province, developing plans and policies for economic development, and supervising provincewide coordination by tracking initiatives and plans for growth at the provincial level. Therefore, the frameworks of cooperation would be instrumental in enabling evidence-based policy formulation supported by excellent, researchbacked insights. He hoped for a mutual understanding that would enable the development of a robust policy framework. Additionally, the LUMS VC appreciated the initiative of P&D Board to promote research in policy management. The LSC Rector stated that he would consider it an honour to collaborate with the government of Punjab and be most eager to facilitate the generation of research that would aid the government in evidencebased policy formulation.