Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services internationalized its services with the successful conclusion of the first of its kind International Workshop on Parliamentary Processes and Constituency Relations held in Islamabad on February 27-28, 2020. PIPS is now offering courses to honorable Parliamentarians and functionaries to developing Parliaments of our region and world over.
The First International Workshop culminated with generous support of PIPS partner Tabeer/CDIP under the leadership of Mr. Niaz Ahmad. Parliamentarians’ and parliamentary functionaries from Cambodia, Turkey, and Pakistan participated in the two-days workshop which covered basic functions of a parliament in six thematically designed working sessions.
Graced by Deputy Speaker National Assembly of Pakistan, Honorable Qasim Suri, as the Chief Guest, the inaugural ceremony began with National Anthem followed by recitation of verses from Holy Quran. The worthy Executive Director Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services thanked Honorable Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri for chairing the session. He welcomed Honorable Parliamentarians and parliamentary functionaries from Cambodia, Turkey and Pakistan. He paid regards to Country Representative Tabeer/CDIP, Mr. Niaz Ahmad for collaborating with Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services to organize this historical event.
Director General, Parliamentary Development Program & IT, Ms. Samar Awais moderated the session. She highlighted that the workshop aims to strengthen parliamentary democracy by bringing parliamentarians from different countries together for sharing parliamentary practices of their respective countries. The inaugural session was attended by Honorable Members of Parliament and parliamentary functionaries from National Assembly and Senate, as well as PIPS faculty.
The Workshop comprised of six thematic sessions including: 1) A Day in the Life of a Parliamentarian: Managing Constituency Relations and Outreach; 2) Powers of Committees in Effective Oversight; 3) Parliamentary Performance: Challenges and Opportunities; 4) Overview of Legislative Processes and Delegated Legislation; 5) The Power of Post Legislative Scrutiny in Effective Governance; 6)Emerging Parliamentary Practices.
Ms. Samer Awais, Director General Parliamentary Development Programme and I.T moderated the closing ceremony. She thanked Muhammad Anwar, Executive Director PIPS, for his untiring support, Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka, Senior Director General Research and legislation, for envisioning PIPS to commence international parliamentary courses and his whole research and legislation team for providing much needed assistance before and during the event. She invited Mr. Muhammad Anwar for formal vote of thanks. He paid regards to the whole team, the participants i.e. Parliamentarians for the presence and active participation vis-a-vis sharing the expertise.
The ceremony concluded with the distribution of the certificate of participation among the participants of the conference. Honourable Senator Syed Mushahid Hussain Sayed was the chief guest who distributed the certificates. He appreciated the PIPS leadership for a dream come true inaugural international parliamentary workshop by the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services.