National Workshop on Parliamentary Diplomacy – Protocol and Mannerism for Protocol and Inter-Parliamentary wings of the Senate, National Assembly and Provincial Assemblies of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtounkhwa, Punjab and Sindh, held on Feb 6-10, 2012: The Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services, PIPS, held a week long National Parliamentary Workshop on Protocol and Mannerism from February 6 to 10th , 2012, which was attended by the Senior Protocol Staff of Senate, National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies of Balochistan, Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The workshop included 15 sessions undertaken by eminent professional and experts.Former Consul General Mr Masood Akhter introduced the significance of diplomatic protocol while DG Foreign Affairs and Ambassador Najmus Saqib held two sessions on Standard Operating Procedures of Protocol and Pakistan’s national values. Mr Ghalib Iqbal, Chief of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs undertook interactive session on best practices of protocol, where participants keenly performed role plays of welcoming international guests. The workshop also involved communication expert Ms Noor Amna, DG Foreign Affairs Zaheer Janjua, and seasoned trainer Asad Awan, CEO Consultus to enlighten the participants viz a viz parliamentary diplomacy and etiquette of Mannerisms to be displayed for international dignitaries received at the Parliament as well as techniques of overcoming stress management during such tasks.
President PIPS Board of Governors/Madam Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza expressed the need to orient the parliamentary staff with regard to Chinese traditions and principles of protocol, which is most famous and acknowledged in diplomatic community the world over. Therefore, PIPS invited Mr Huang Xillian, Deputy Ambassador and Deputy Chief of Mission in Pakistan, Peoples Republic of China, as the key note Speaker on the last day, Friday, Feb., 10, 2012. Mr Haung elaborated three basic principles of Chinese Protocol and Diplomacy – sovereign equality, reciprocity and following international conventions. Mr Huang acknowledged the special Pakistan-China friendship as exemplary and termed the role of Pakistan’s parliamentary leadership in famous China-US reproachma in 1971 as beginning of deeper ties between the two countries. Mr Huang also thanked the Pakistani Parliament for displaying their foremost affection and friendship extended during the recent visit of the Chinese Prime Minister, who was over whelmed with emotions after addressing the joint parliamentary session and reciprocated the mutual feelings by shaking hands with all parliamentarians on the floor of the House. Mr Huang reiterated the need of research, respect and restraint, as well as three Cs of confidence, convenience and comfortablility, as the best practices for successful parliamentary diplomacy.
Honorable Mr Aftab Shaban Mirani, seasoned parliamentarian and member of the PIPS Board of Governors, was the Chief guest on the Certificate Distribution Ceremony held on Friday, Feb 10, 2012. He distributed certificates among the 35 participants from all national and provincial legislatures. The participants termed the National Parliamentary Workshop as a historic event and congratulated the team of Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services, on commencement of their national programs in accordance with its Work Plan of Activities 2012-13 passed by its Board on January 18, 2012. Mr Aftab Shaban Mirani informed that it is another feather in the cap of Speaker National Assembly of Pakistan Honorable Dr Fehmida Mirza, who was instrumental in creating PIPS through an Act of the Parliament as the leading think tank of the Parliament for provision of research, legislative and training services to the Senate, National Assembly as well as the provincial legislatures. Mr Khan Ahmad Goraya, Executive Director, PIPS, thanked the participants for their keen interest and participation throughout the week. He also informed the participants that PIPS is developing close collaborations with international parliamentary institutions including Canadian Parliamentary Centre, Congressional Research Service and Thailand’s KPI. This would enable PIPS to offer training opportunities in these international institutes to Pakistani parliamentarians as well as members of PIPS faculty and staff of all national and provincial legislatures in the country.
The national workshop was attended by 35 senior parliamentary functionaries serving the national and provincial legislatures in the respective international parliamentary relations and protocol wings, which are undertaking an imperative task in enhancing Pakistan’s international image and relations with the world. The workshop was organized to prepare parliamentary staff to host the Indian Speaker at the National Assembly and to hold the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Asia Regional Conference scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan in Karachi early in March, 2012.