PIPS AND CODE FOR PAKISTAN SIGN LANDMARK MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

May 9, 2024 MOU

The Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) and Code for Pakistan (CfP) have officially entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance PIPS’s technological and educational infrastructure. This significant partnership was formalized in a signing ceremony at the PIPS office in Islamabad, where the heads of both organizations committed to a collaborative venture focused on innovative projects.

Ms. Samer Awais, Director General of the Parliamentary Development Programme at PIPS, thanked the CfP team and highlighted the shared objectives of both entities. Mr. Muhammad Anwar, Executive Director of PIPS, and Mr. Shaji Ahmed, Chief Executive of Code for Pakistan, signed the MoU, which outlines a series of initiatives aimed at integrating advanced technology into PIPS operations.

The MoU stipulates cooperation in several areas, notably in the design and deployment of an intuitive and user-friendly Learning Management System (LMS). This system is intended to transition PIPS’s current in person capacity building programs to a more flexible online platform, thereby enhancing the accessibility and effectiveness of parliamentary trainings.

Code for Pakistan will also support PIPS by providing necessary training to ensure that the PIPS staff can fully utilize the capabilities of the new LMS. Furthermore, both organizations will explore additional technological solutions to improve communication between Parliamentarians and their constituents.

During the event, Mr. Muhammad Nazir, Director General of IT at PIPS, provided insights into the current IT tools and technology hardware available for CfP. He expressed that this collaboration would significantly benefit the IT wing, enhancing their ability to support PIPS’s evolving needs.

During the event, Mr. Shaji Ahmed acknowledged Mr. Fayaz Thaheem, Deputy Director of PDP at PIPS, for his crucial role in initiating this partnership. He emphasized that the integration of AI and advanced LMS features would significantly improve the learning experiences at PIPS, marking a step forward in the modernization of parliamentary education and training in Pakistan. This MoU signifies a move towards a strategic collaboration aimed at equipping PIPS with modern tools to enhance its educational and operational capabilities, thereby strengthening the overall effectiveness of parliamentary services in Pakistan.

On the direction of the Chairman Senate/President PIPS Board of Governors, the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS), has implemented a comprehensive set of measures aimed at ensuring fiscal discipline, operational efficiency, and responsible utilization of public resources, on the same lines as notified and adopted by the Senate and National Assembly Secretariats.

Under the new measures, the Institute has adopted a four-day working week (Monday to Thursday), while introducing a hybrid working model whereby 50% of staff will perform duties from the office and 50% will work remotely on a rotational basis. Employees working from home will remain fully accessible through digital communication platforms and may be required to report to the office on short notice, ensuring uninterrupted institutional functioning.

Significant steps have also been taken to promote energy conservation. These include a target of achieving up to 70% reduction in energy consumption through minimizing unnecessary use of electricity and ensuring that official meetings, trainings, and events are scheduled during daylight hours. Foreign tours are banned and international meetings are being held virtually.

In the transport section, PIPS has introduced strict measures to curtail expenditure and 70% official vehicles have been grounded as part of this initiative.

As part of broader austerity efforts, 20% reduction has been imposed on the non-ERE budget for the fourth quarter of the current financial year. The officers drawing a monthly salary of PKR 300,000 or more, shall surrendered two days salary or 5% to 30% salary on gross as per Federal Government decision.

The Institute has also discontinued all non-essential procurements with immediate effect. Official functions such as dinners and receptions will not be hosted, except in the case of visiting foreign delegations, and even then, strictly in accordance with austerity protocols.

These measures have been implemented with immediate effect and will remain in force until further orders.

Under the guidance of President PIPS Board of Governors, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, PIPS remains fully committed to maintaining its core functions of parliamentary support, capacity building, and research while contributing proactively to national austerity and sustainability goals.

PIPS AND CODE FOR PAKISTAN SIGN LANDMARK MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

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