Pakistan-Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Group, Memorial Seminar IHO Fidel Castro.

January 18, 2017 EXCHANGE PROGRAMS, OTHERS

Resistance against Superpower domination, supremacy of national interest and welfare of the general masses, highlighting these very principles with which Fidel Castro led his revolutionary regime in Cuba, the Honorable Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, Mian Raza Rabbani, paid tribute to the recently demised revolutionary Cuban leader while presiding over the Memorial Seminar organized by Pakistan-Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Group. Honorable Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed was the convener of first of its kind event being held in Pakistan and the Muslim world. Held at Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services, the event was attended by a large gathering of Honorable Senators, Members National Assembly of Pakistan, diplomats from Brazil, Cuba, Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea, Palestine, Portugal, and Syria. Honorable Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed highlighted the miracles Cuba witnessed in the field of health and education under Fidel Castro, which finds no other precedent in the third world countries. The people of Pakistan would remain obliged for the generous support Cuba provided at the time of earthquake in 2005. Cuba not only provided field hospitals for the disaster hit areas but also offered 1000 scholarships for the students of Pakistan to get training in the field of medicine. Former Speaker of National Assembly of Pakistan, Syed Fakhar Imam, remembered the great leader as a “leading light third world has produced in 200 years”. In order to express solidarity with the people of Cuba at this time of grief and anguish, Honorable Senator Shibli Faraz paid tribute to Fidel Castro in Latin language. Honorable MNA Shireen M. Mazari and Honorable Senator Afrasiab Khattak also expressed reverence for the services of the great Cuban leader. His Excellency, the Ambassador of Cuba in Pakistan, Gabriel Tiel Capote, extended his gratitude towards the Senate of Pakistan for organizing such an event at a moment when the Cuban nation is trying to come out of the grief at the demise of the great revolutionary leader.

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.

Pakistan-Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Group, Memorial Seminar IHO Fidel Castro.

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