National Conference on the Role of Public Accounts Committees

September 22, 2020 CONFERENCES, NATIONAL

Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) in collaboration with Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) conducted a series of Orientation workshops in the year 2019—2020. These knowledge sharing sessions conducted for PAC Committee Members and officers provided a forum to disseminate information about the Rules of Procedure and best parliamentary practices with the aim to strengthen the oversight and scrutiny function of Public Accounts Committees.

Culminating those discussions, PIPS and WFD organized a three-day National Conference on “the Role of Public Accounts Committees in Pakistan” from September 16-18, 2020 at Pearl Continental (PC) Hotel, Bhurban. The conference was attended by the Honourable Chairpersons, Members and the officers of the PACs of the National and provincial Legislatures. Resource persons from different sectors of Government including Provincial and National Parliament, Audit Department and Controller General of Accounts as well as international experts provided their valuable input to the knowledge base of the participants.

The conference provided an opportunty to compare the best practices of the PACs of different houses and to facilitate a discussion on the introduction of intended reforms. The conference was inaugurated by Honourable Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani, the Speaker and Chairman PAC, the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Mr. Muhammad Anwar, Executive Director, PIPS, and Syed Mujtaba Ali Zaidi, Country Representative WFD welcomed the participants to the conference. Ms. Samer Awais, Director General, Parliamentary Programme, PIPS offered a brief summary of the initiative that PIPS and WFD embarked upon for the capacity building of PAC members and officers.

In the first session of the conference, Mr. Qamar Sohail Lodhi, Special Secretary PAC, National Assembly of Pakistan discussed the standing of PACs in Pakistan, comparing them to the Common Wealth PAC Matrix. Mr. Faisal Hayat, through a practicum involving the enablers and blockers in the functioning of the PAC, broadened the participants’ understanding of the working of the PAC.

The second day commenced with the comparative analysis of the Rules of Procedures of all the PACs in Pakistan. The panellists included Mr. Muhammad Anwar, Executive Director, PIPS, Mr. Amjad Ali, Additional Secretary, provincial assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Mr. Muhammad Mohsin Khan, former Controller General of Accounts, Pakistan. This was followed by a lively discussion whereby facilitators and participants identified the key areas needing reforms for the effective functioning of PACs. Honourable Munaza Hassan, MNA, member Federal PAC, Honourable Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmed, MNA, and former Chairman PAC II, Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, and Honourable Muhammad Qasim Soomro, MPA, member PAC Provincial Assembly of Sindh spoke in the session and responded to the queries of participants.

The afternoon session was dedicated to technical sessions encompassing the concept of Performance Audits, Effective Questioning techniques and need for Public Outreach. Through virtual sessions, Mr. Philip Aylett, Senior Clerk House of Commons, UK and Ms. Ayesha Siddiq, Director General, Performance Audit Wing, Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) Office, compared the evolution and practices in Performance Auditing in UK and Pakistan; Mr. Geoff Dubrow, Public Finance Management(PFM) and PAC specialist shed light on the way the participants could ask effective, tailored and cutting edge questions from the relevant departments; Mr. Philip Aylett shared the public engagement practices followed in UK and how they could be incorporated in the functioning of PACs in Pakistan.

Day three of the conference focussed upon the strategic relationship between the office of Auditor General of Pakistan and the PACs. Session was facilitated by Honourable Riaz Fatyana, MNA, Honourable Senator Naseebullah Bazai, Mr. Muhammad Mohsin Khan, former Controller General of Accounts Pakistan and Mr. Shareefullah Wazir, former Additional Auditor General Pakistan. Moderated by Ms. Samer Awais, discussion highlighted the pressing need of strengthening a viable mode of interaction and communication between the stake holders. It was followed by a quick recap and key takeaways of the initiative in the form of proposed reforms, as the way forward.

It was a rare moment of pride that all the provinces and the PACs in Pakistan were represented in the conference. The closing ceremony was presided by Honourable Rana Tanveer Hussain, Chairman Federal PAC, who articulated the working and performance of the federal PAC in his concluding remarks. The conference was formally concluded through the vote of thanks by Mr. Muhamad Anwar, Executive Director, PIPS who appreciated the work done by both the PIPS team and WFD team for organizing the conference and paid his regards to the resource persons and the participants of the event.

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.

National Conference on the Role of Public Accounts Committees

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