The Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS), in collaboration with the EU-funded Mustehkam Parlimaan (MuP) Project, successfully concluded a three-day workshop for Chairpersons of Standing and Special Committees of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab. The programme aimed to strengthen legislative oversight and enhance the role of committees in the parliamentary process.
The inaugural session, held at Serena Hotel, Islamabad, was graced by Honourable Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, Chairman Senate and President of the PIPS Board of Governors, as the Chief Guest. In his keynote address, Honourable Chairman Senate emphasized the importance of bipartisan collaboration and the strengthening of provincial institutions for effective legislative oversight. He commended the efforts of PIPS, and the Mustehkam Parlimaan Project for their continuous commitment to parliamentary development.
Honourable Chairman Senate underlined the pivotal role committees play in legislation, budget scrutiny, and incorporating public aspirations into policymaking. He stressed that committee chairpersons must lead the processes of legislation, accountability, and transparency. Highlighting the significance of strengthening parliamentary institutions, he said that the future role of provincial assemblies would become even more vital and that institutions must build adaptability to meet emerging challenges.
Honourable Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, Speaker of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, also addressed the inaugural session. He emphasized the leadership role of committee Chairpersons in translating legislative priorities into action and shared initiatives introduced in the Punjab Assembly to strengthen parliamentary oversight, including the promotion of public petitions on matters of public interest.
Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Honourable Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, appreciated the efforts of the Speaker Punjab Assembly and highlighted the achievements of the National Assembly under the leadership of Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
Former Senator Farhatullah Babar offered concrete recommendations on strengthening committee functions, including the requisitioning of departmental records and the post-legislative scrutiny of enacted laws. Ms. Mary Cummins, Team Lead of the Mustehkam Parlimaan Project, reaffirmed the EU’s steadfast support for democratic development in Pakistan.
Mr. Asim Khan Goraya, Executive Director Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) welcomed participants and acknowledged the Punjab Assembly’s commitment to reform. He also paid tribute to Honourable Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani for his outstanding parliamentary contributions, including his recent election as the Founding Chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference held in Seoul.
The inaugural day concluded with an interactive session where Chairpersons from both opposition and treasury benches engaged in a candid discussion on enhancing committee capacity and resource allocation.
Day Two Highlights – Practical Application of Parliamentary Rules and Oversight
On Thursday, April 24, 2025, participants gathered at the PIPS Main Campus for a full day of knowledge sharing and interactive sessions.
The day commenced with a session titled “From Procedure to Practice – Strengthening Committee Work”, led by Mr. Khalid Mahmood, Secretary (Parliamentary Affairs), Provincial Assembly of the Punjab. He provided a detailed overview of the Rules of Procedure and conduct of the Business Provincial Assembly of Punjab, highlighting the importance, powers, and working mechanisms of parliamentary committees.
Mr. Usama Khawar Ghumman, Legal Advisor to the Speaker, offered a comparative analysis of international best practices, especially the functioning of committees in the U.S. Congress and Senate. The session further examined indicators of strong committees, the role of party control, and the impact of procedural autonomy on effective committee work.
A vibrant knowledge-sharing session followed, featuring insights from Honourable Former Senators Mushahid Hussain Syed and Muhammad Mohsin Leghari. They discussed the effective use of public petitions as a tool for citizen engagement in parliamentary oversight.
Post lunch and prayer break, the workshop resumed with a session on “Oversight for Effective Governance”, featuring a panel discussion on fiscal oversight and departmental budget analysis. Expert inputs were provided by Dr. Waseem Shahid Malik, Senior Adviser on Fiscal and Budgetary Analysis. Parliamentary tools used for strengthening oversight were introduced by Ms. Bushra Anjum Butt, Member Senate of Pakistan, and Mr. Muhammad Mushtaq, Advisor to the National Assembly of Pakistan. The session was facilitated by Ms. Rabeea Anwar, Additional Secretary (Legislation), Senate of Pakistan.
Day Three Highlights – Lawmaking Role of Committees and Workshop Conclusion
The third and final day, Friday, April 25, 2025, focused on enhancing the legislative role of committees.
The day opened with an address by Honourable Barrister Aqeel Malik, Minister of State for Law and Justice, who spoke on the significance of committees in effective lawmaking and legislative scrutiny.
This was followed by an in-depth session on “Assessing Draft Bills” led by Syed Mohsin Masood Bukhari, Director and Head of Laws of Pakistan Cell, Ministry of Law and Justice. Mr. Bukhari emphasized the critical role of committees in evaluating legislative proposals and shared pertinent examples from the Punjab Assembly’s context.
Mr. Sheikh Sarfraz Ahmad, Senior Legislative Consultant with the Mustehkam Parlimaan Project, facilitated an engaging discussion on the significance of delegated legislation and its impact on governance.
The workshop concluded with a formal closing ceremony.
Ms. Samer Awais, Director General (PDP&C), extended a heartfelt vote of thanks to the participants, facilitators, and the PIPS team. She invited Honourable Speaker Punjab Assembly, Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, for closing remarks.
Honourable Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, Worthy Speaker of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab expressed profound appreciation for the commitment and active participation of the committee Chairpersons. He announced plans for study visits to observe the Senate and National Assembly committee proceedings, in collaboration with PIPS. He also proposed involving PIPS in future Standing Committee meetings to further build capacity.
Following the Speaker’s address, Mr. Asim Khan Goraya, Executive Director PIPS, delivered the final vote of thanks. He stressed the need for strengthening research support for parliamentarians and reiterated PIPS’ commitment to supporting legislative strengthening initiatives across Pakistan.
The three-day workshop successfully provided Chairpersons with practical tools and knowledge to enhance legislative oversight, strengthen public policy formulation, and further deepen parliamentary democracy.