About

Establishing PIPS – realization of a dream

The Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services, PIPS, was formally established as an as an exclusive and independent, first of its kind research and capacity building facility for the parliamentarians, through an Act of Parliament on December 15, 2008. No matter it had started functioning in an interim facility since April 2006.

The Parliament in Pakistan had remained deprived of the power of Knowledge that comes from timely, accurate and credible information and objective bipartisan analysis on the most sensitive of national matters till the establishment of PIPS. The intense need for such an institution was direly felt and expressed in 2005 in the Speakers Conference of the National and Provincial houses. The Legislative Development Steering Committee (LDSC) of the National Parliament under the chairmanship of Deputy Speaker National Assembly chose to work for setting up the Institute with the support of the Pakistan Legislative Strengthening Project (PLSP). Based on the deliberations of the LDSC, comprising eight MNAs and four Senators in addition to Secretariat leadership of National Assembly and the Senate; various comparative studies and feasibility papers prepared by PLSP and the LDSC steered the initiative. The LDSC visualized PIPS as an autonomous entity, functioning under the leadership of the parliament and guided by a Board of Governors.

Cross Party Consensus to pass PIPS Act:

The members of two National Assemblies 2002 and 2008 and the Senate joined hands in not only envisioning the project but also steering it through legislation and across party advocacy. In fact PIPS legislation is a true manifestation of cross party caucusing in both the Senate and the National Assembly of Pakistan. The PIPS bill saw all parliamentary parties, government and the opposition working together. The bill was drafted by former Senator Ch Muhammad Anwer Bhinder from Pakistan Muslim League, (Quaid e Azam) PML Q, and ably supported by the former LDSC members such as former Deputy Speaker National Assembly Sardar Muhammad Yaqoub PML Q, Senator Ms Rukhsana Zuberi, Pakistan Peoples Party PPP, and Senator Azam Khan Swati JUI(F), Awami National Party ANP, respectievly. Members of the 2008 LDSC, MNAs Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Deputy Speaker Mr Fasial Karim Kundi, Ms Yasmeen Rehman (all from PPP) and MNA Mr Ayaz Sadiq, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) PML N, contributed to finally get it through in the 13th National Assembly as a consensus Act. We acknowledge that USAID PLSP founding Chief of Party Eleanor Valentine and two of her successors – Christopher Shields and Carmen Lane –actively assisted the parliament in general and the LDSC in particular to make PIPS a reality. The institute was thus officially created through a consensus Act of Parliament passed in December 2008.

PIPS Board of Governors – reflection of Federation of Pakistan:

The establishment of the PIPS through unanimous support of the Parliament reflected the will and vision of not only the National Assembly and Senate, but also of the provincial Houses of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan, who are all represented through their Speakers in the PIPS Board of Governors.

Under the Act, the Chairman Senate and Speaker National Assembly were charged with the responsibility of nominating the members of the founding BOG. Considering the importance of the institute and the role of the Board of Governors, they tried to pick up the best of the lot keeping in view their background and experience for taking up this onerous responsibility. The Board of Governors, chaired by Chairman Senate or Speaker National Assembly by three-year rotation, has the overall control of the Institute and it guides its functioning. Executive Director is the chief executive of the institute and works under the control of the Board. Speaker of the National Assembly Madam Fehmida Mirza became the founding President of the PIPS Board of Governors, who along with Deputy Chairman Senate, Senator Mir Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali inaugurated the official construction launch of PIPS building in June 2010.

The Board, which thoroughly drafted, debated and approved comprehensive sets of Financial and Recruitment Rules that has laid a sound foundation to build a centre of excellence based on professionalism and merit, which reflects integrity and accountability in its functioning. The Board also appointed former Secretary General of National Assembly Mr Khan Ahmad Goraya as its founding Executive Director.

PIPS Vision & Mission

The Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services envisions establishing an appropriate forum to equip parliamentarians with cutting-edge strategies and tools to perform their representative, legislative and oversight functions effectively and efficiently.

PIPS endeavors to provide high-quality, accurate and result-oriented services to elected members and staff of the Legislatures in Pakistan to promote parliamentary excellence.

OBJECTIVES

PIPS was instituted under an Act of the Parliament in December 2008. Its predominant objectives are to:

Assist parliamentarians in making informed policies by conducting or commissioning independent research on topical issues;

Conduct professional development and orientation programs for elected parliamentarians and staff of the national parliament and provincial assemblies;

Gather and organize data as well as provide complete, accurate, timely and relevant information to facilitate parliamentarians in their work; and

To maintain transparency and accountability in all its functions;

Provide technical support and various intellectual and knowledge resources to parliamentarians.

CORE VALUES

The PIPS team endeavors to work in unison for its sacred mission by following their cherished core values of:

Integrity: PIPS faculty and staff are inspired by honesty and truthfulness as personified by the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and emphasized in numerous speeches by the founder of nation Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The team considers integrity as their primary value so as to create synergy towards their common mutually set goals.
Non Partisanship: Institute’s professional faculty is committed to provide nonpartisan analysis to assist MPs in making informed decisions to secure the national interest as aspired by the people of Pakistan.
Professionalism: PIPS team values its humility to perpetually seek learning new concepts and ideas for keeping themselves abreast with essential skills-set that make them effective, efficient and knowledgeable professionals.
Accessibility: PIPS faculty remains readily approachable to MPs for provision of timely services at their doorstep.
Anticipation: Institute team continues a vigilant appraise of national and international developments to accordingly assist MPs through essential technical support in anticipation to challenges and new realities concerning the country

PIPS Role and Functions:

PIPS is committed to serve all national and provincial legislatures in their efforts to perform their onerous tasks of law making, executive oversight, policy making and representation according to the aspirations and will of the people of Pakistan and to strengthen the tradition of a democratic order in the country. According to the mandate of the Institute as mentioned in the PIPS Act, the functions of the institute are as follows:

to maintain the national, provincial and international data, information and statistics to provide to the Parliamentarians for the efficient performance of their duties;
to undertake research in respect of the Federal and Provincial laws and also to have a study of international laws to help the Parliamentarians in the law making process;
to provide technical assistance to Parliamentarians in performance of their duties;
to provide training to the Parliamentarians and parliamentary functionaries for performance of their duties;
to arrange seminars , workshops or conferences;
to take measures for the development of law making;
to maintain a record of all the existing Act, Ordinances and other enactments in force in Pakistan and in each Province;
to assist Parliamentarians and legislative bodies in their efforts to ensure the public’s understanding of working of Parliament;
to arrange legislative drafting courses with special emphasis on parliamentary practices;
to manage the internship programs for the Parliament and Provincial Assemblies;
to establish and maintain resource centers for the Parliamentarians;
to support the parliamentary committees in the performance of their duties;
any other function as may be assigned to it by the Parliament or the Board.

PIPS aspires to set standards of excellence by providing legislators and their staff physical , technical, intellectual and knowledge resources to conduct research, better prepare for debates, enhance legislative processes and benefit from unparalleled learning environments.

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.