Budget Workshop for Parliamentary Reporters

May 26, 2015 FUNCTIONARIES, OTHERS, SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS

As per guidance by the Honourable Chairman Senate/ President PIPS Board of Governors, Institute held a two day pre budget workshop with over 35 parliamentary reporters in collaboration with Parliamentary Reporters Association. The workshop was addressed by the Honourable Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani as Chief Guest who inaugurated the absorbing budget workshop and acknowledged the initiative by the PIPS Executive Director and faculty. Mr Muhammad Mushtaq JS National Assembly gave a presentation on Constitution and Budget and Parliamentary practices on day one while Chairperson of NA Standing Committee Finance, Privitazation and Statistics MNA Omer Ayub Khan conducted an absorbing session on Budget process in Pakistan followed by group work and technical presentation on reading budgte documents by PIPS Budget Desk, Mr Muhammad Adnan Azeem, Deputy Director Budget analysis. Mr Muhammad Siddqiue Sajid, President PRA, Mr Mahmood Salim Mahmood , Dxecutive Director and Mr Behzad Saleemi, SVP, PRA also spoke on closing ceremony where MNA Omer Ayub Khan distributed certificates among participants. Ms Samer Awais, Director Training PIPS conducted the programme as master of ceremony.

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.

Budget Workshop for Parliamentary Reporters

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