Participants of National Institute of Management Sciences (NIMS) Senior Management Course visited the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services on Wednesday, the 10th May, 2017 as part of their ongoing course. They were welcomed by Director Research & IT Mr Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka who briefed them regarding the services and accomplishments of the institute followed by a brief tour of the building conducted by Mr Qazi Shams Uddin CIA and Mir Shai Mazar Baloch AD HR.

An interactive session was also held as a part of the visit among the participants and PIPS team led by Member of the National Assembly Honourable Malik Muhammad Uzair Khan who is also one of the Members of the Board of Governor of PIPS. The session was inaugurated by the Executive Director PIPS Mr. Zafarullah Khan who welcomed the participants and highlighted the major functions and services the institute provides by saying that it facilitates not only the Honourable Parliamentarians but also the MPA’s in various research and legislative business. Apart from the regular services, PIPS has also been actively arranging milestone conferences and seminars jointly with the National Assembly which includes 1st SAARC Young Parliamentarians Conference, International Parliamentary Conference on Kashmir, and International Conference for promotion of peace and tolerance by Women Parliamentary Caucus. It also serves cross party caucuses like, Senate Policy Research Forum, Young Parliamentarians Forum, Parliamentary SDGs Taskforce and the Women Parliamentary Caucus. Mr Zafarullah also mentioned the academic, social and political contributions by the Parliamentarians and the role of Parliament in building a strong and pluralistic State based on dialogue and democratic as well as constitutional principles.

Adding to the list of achievements, Honourable Malik Muhammad Uzair Khan praised the efforts of PIPS for being a good medium of interaction with the NIMS participants in this regard. He said that due to untiring effort, the institute has been successful in introducing parliamentary studies as a new discipline in 17 Pakistani universities. To minimize the gap between Parliament and common people (especially youth), the institute has held outreach sessions on Constitution, Parliament and Nation-Building with over 5000 college and university youth from all over Pakistan since 2014. Moreover, PIPS has regularly conducted several capacity building workshops and trainings for the members of the Parliament and it has conducted over 350 exclusive research papers for individual MPs and committees. He ensured that PIPS is committed to perform their onerous tasks of law making, executive oversight, policy making and representation according to the aspirations and will of the people of Pakistan. In only five years PIPS has published twenty seven books and the monthly Parliamentary Research Digest is today the most widely read parliamentary publications that is disseminated among 1700 including 1256 MPs, academia, think tanks and civil society. In an interactive session the participants expressed their appreciation that PIPS undoubtedly is parliamentary seat of excellence equal to any of its contemporary’s world over. Malik Muhammad Uzair Khan also hoped that the institute will continue to contribute its effort in promoting the values of a true democratic state for all times to come through its resilient and committed team. The Head of Delegation from NIMS presented a Memento and the vote of thanks Director Research and IT moderated the brainstorming session. The session concluded with a thorough Q/A session between the Honourable MNA Malik Muhammad Uzair Khan, participants, PIPS faculty and the Executive Director Mr Zafarullah Khan followed by a group photo.