PIPS at Int’ll IPU and IFLAPARL Virtual Conference on Research & Library Services

October 8, 2021 INTERNATIONAL

The Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) presented at the International Virtual Conference on Research & Library Services – Towards an agenda for next decade, Oct 6-8, 2021 that was inaugurated by Secretary General Inter Parliamentary Union IPU Mr. Martin Chungong on Wednesday Oct 6, 2021 at 5 pm PST. Conference themes included:

How library and research services have responded to challenges of pandemic and some long-term implications.

Accessibility, diversity and inclusion.
Service Strategies for the 2020s.

Session One: Parliamentary Strengthening in support of library and research services, What works? Oct 6, 2021 (6 – 8 pm PST): Mr Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka, Founding Member of Team PIPS and DG Research, spoke in the 2 hour opening session on Oct 6, 2021 at 6 pm to 8 pm PST attended by 269 parliamentary researchers and librarians across 100 member states worldwide. The prestigious international panel included former Ms Donna Scheeder, Chief Information Officer (US Congressional Research Service), Ms Susan Swift, Director, Legislative Library & Research Service Canada, Eva Malackova, Director Parliamentary Library Slovak Republic, Mr. Innocent Rugambwa, Director Parliament of Uganda, Alejandro Lorenzo Cesar Santa, Director Coord General, Argentina Parliament, Ms. Natalia Svecova, Director Parliamentary Institute of National Council of Slovak Republic, Mr. Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka, Director General (Research) Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) and Mr Tom Cormier President and CEO, Parliamentary Centre Canada. Mr Ivo Balinov Director Programs (PC Canada) also attended the Meet. Ms Ellie Valentine, renowned Librarian and Member IFLAPARL moderated the panel discussion. Interpretation to and from English, French and Spanish were available.

Mr Zaka, Director General (Research) PIPS covered significant key questions such as Mandate of Parliamentary research service, Ensuring Objectivity and Non-Partisanship in addition to offering platform for stake holders input, Principles of authoritative parliamentary research and library products and services and last but not the least, What works in Parliamentary Strengthening in support of library and research services. The session also included a detailed Q and A session that was actively participated by Mr. Qaiser Iqbal, Librarian PIPS and Mr. Fayaz Gul, Asstt. Librarian, PIPS amongst 269 parliamentary researchers and librarians worldwide.

On Day Two, Director General Research PIPS participated in Session Two on Oct 7, 2021 on Accessibility, Diversity and inclusion in parliamentary Library and research services , words matter, which was attended by 106 participants worldwide.

Closing Session, Oct . 8, 2021 (6 pm to 8 pm): Mr Zaka, DG Research, PIPS, also spoke on the concluding session of the three-day conference on Oct 8, 2021 attended by 165 parliamentary researchers and librarians that presented the key recommendations of the conference. Mr Andy Richardson, Director Programs IPU, recognized that session one on day one set up a very high bar and as a result the conference has been a huge success. Thereafter Mr Andy Richardson and Ms Josefa Fuentus, Director Spanish Parliament; who represented two of the oldest parliamentary unions (IPU setup in 1889 and IFLAPARL in 1927), presented the Vote of Thanks and Concluded the Conference.The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) is the leading international body representing the interests of people who rely on libraries and information professionals. An independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization, IFLA was founded in Scotland in 1927 and maintains headquarters at the National Library of the Netherlands in The Hague. IFLA sponsors the annual IFLA World Library and Information Congress, promoting universal and equitable access to information, ideas, and works of imagination for social, educational, cultural, democratic, and economic empowerment. The three-day Int’ll IPU and IFLAPARL Virtual Conference on Research & Library Services – Towards an Agenda for next decade, Oct 6-8, 2021 was attended by 500 parliamentary researchers and librarians across member states of IPU and IFLAPARL throughout the three days, which included several sessions of presentation and panel discussion.

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.

PIPS at Int’ll IPU and IFLAPARL Virtual Conference on Research & Library Services

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