On September 4, 2024, a staff training session was held under the ICRMS Staff Training on Empowerment Series: Mastering Financial Skills for the staff of the International Center for Refugee and Migration Studies (ICRMS). The training was also open to the BUITEMS faculty and administration.
The session began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by a video presentation of ICRMS. Following this, Dr. Raheela Umer Sumalani, Director of ICRMS, gave her remarks about the training and how individuals can benefit from it.
Mr. Hamayoun, Additional Director of Finance (Directorate of Finance – BUITEMS), delivered an insightful presentation on budgeting and the process of bank reconciliation. He provided a detailed overview of effective budgeting strategies, highlighting key aspects of financial planning. Additionally, he walked through the bank reconciliation process, emphasizing its importance in maintaining accurate financial records and ensuring proper alignment between internal accounts and bank statements.
Mr. Danish Sarwar, Resident Auditor at BUITEMS, took the stage to discuss taxation. He provided a comprehensive overview of tax slabs and explained how they impact various income groups. Additionally, he guided the audience through the process of selecting specific tax sections, offering valuable insights on making informed decisions in line with regulatory requirements.
The session was impactful for the participants as they were briefed on how to write and plan a budget for proposals, particularly if applying for a specific idea or program to be implemented for the betterment of forcibly displaced persons and social development in the context of Balochistan, or if they are working under the government of Balochistan. The session covered possible challenges, financial skills, and techniques that will help them in these contexts. It proved to be fruitful not only for ICRMS staff, helping them tackle some of the file approval-related challenges while operating at BUITEMS, but also for the BUITEMS faculty and staff who were informed about how an individual or organization can apply for funding and how to utilize that funding in the most efficient and impactful way.
At the end of the session, the audience provided the following suggestions:
- ERP should be made mandatory for file approvals to expedite the filing process and streamline project management.
- It was recommended that BUITEMS, as a whole, should implement a rule requiring the completion of the filing process within three days, not just for project-related files but across all departments.
- Tax-related information, such as tax slabs, rules for tax exemptions, and other relevant details, should be made available on the BUITEMS website for easy access.
The session was attended by Mr. Abdul Rehman, Pro Vice Chancellor of BUITEMS. He joined the session and noted some suggestions from the participants that might help BUITEMS to streamline their file approval process. The session ended with a certificate distribution ceremony and refreshments.
