The last quarter of 2010 saw arduous work by the PIPS Board of Governors in undertaking the vital tasks to draft and approve the rules framework for the Institute in light of the Act. The Board appointed two sub committees of its members, who held numerous meetings and consultations to finalize an elaborate organizational plan as well as a comprehensive set of financial and employee’s service rules. The Rules were approved by the Board in October 2010. Meanwhile PIPS held range of activities with legislators and parliamentary functionaries with the support of Pakistan Legislative Strengthening Project PLSP-USAID, Strengthening Democracy through Parliamentary Development SDPD-UNDP and the Konrad Adenaur Stiftung, KAS.

i. PIPS activities with PLSP, USAID

The PIPS held following activities with the support of PLSP, USAID, in 2010:

i. Senate Standing Committee Chairs Conference: The Session was an absorbing event that focused on effective committees and their role in oversight in addition to needs and ways to enhance the human resource available to support the Standing Committees.

ii. Mid Term Budget Review Exercise for Senate and NA Committee Chairs: The session focused on budget review and analysis techniques for Standing Committees.

iii.Secretaries Conference: The Conference of the Secretaries of the Senate, National Assembly and Provincial Assemblies was arranged by PIPS at PC Bhurban to determin matters of PIPS parliamentary resource centers and training and research cadre of PIPS.

iv.Legislative Research Workshop for researchers of provincial assemblies of Sindh and Balochistan: The first of its kind workshop for researchers in the provincial assemblies focused on orientation of modern research methodology and needs of legislators.

v. Budget Analysis workshop for MNAs and Senators: The workshop discussed role of MNAs and Senators in budget making, provided them an opportunity to assess information in respective areas of oversight and volume of expenditure that has already been undertaken.

vi. PIPS Advanced Training on Legislative Research for Parliamentary researchers, June 2010: It was an exclusive first of its kind 3 day workshop for researchers from all six Houses, i.e, the National Parliament as well as four provincial assemblies. Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka, PIPS research wing, was the lead trainer at this workshop.

vii.Parliamentary Office Management for Committee Staff: It discussed techniques of effective minutes writing, report writing and office correspondence in addition to an absorbing session by renowned trainer Mr Faiz H Seyal on leadership and teamwork.

viii.Budget Session with Parliamentary journalists: The exercise was to discuss the role of parliamentarians in budget making, equip the journalists regarding steps of budget cycle.

ix. PIPS Training of Trainers Exercise 2010: 23 officers from all six Houses, i.e the National Assembly, Senate and provincial assemblies were trained to design and impart trainings to fellow staff and learn facilitation of capacity building events of PIPS on legislative issues.

ii. PIPS programmes with SDPD

The Institute continued to fulfill its role as implementation partner of the Strengthening Democratic Participatory Development SDPD Project of the UNDP by hosting following capacity building activities:

i. Protocol and Mannerism Awareness training held on October 01-02, 2010: This basic awareness programme was held to acquaint secretariat staff with etiquettes of working for the public representatives and understanding their needs and role.

ii. Basic Responsibilities of Officer/Personal Staff: 12 officials of Senate participated and a second round of same training was also held with a new set of staff including 10 from the National Assembly Secretariat and 13 from the Senate respectively.

iii. Basic Skills for Efficient Working held on Oct., 11-13, 2010 for parliamentary Secretariat staff: The training equipped the participants undertook exercises on various systems at an office and important tasks such drafting, office filing and documentation system, procurement of stationery, time management, etc.

iv.Basic Training on Internet Skills and MS Office held for parliamentary staff on Oct., 25-30, 2010: Around 29 staff members of NA and Senate Secretariats participated in the practical hands on training to work on computers in general and in the Microsoft Office software, substantially in use at all offices, in particular.

v. Workshop on Stress and Time Management: It provided tips of stress and time management at work place. Renowned trainer Ms Muneeza Hashmi took interactive sessions with officials from NA and Senate Secretariats.

vi. Gender Self Awareness: This orientation was held to sensitize officials on gender self awareness. Reputed trainers Robeela Bangash, Uzma Shah and Tazeen Javed undertook absorbing sessions.

vii. Training on Report Writing and Minutes Taking skills held from 6- 8 December, 2010: 22 Committee Staff of National Assembly and Senate, participated. The objectives of the workshop were to learn techniques of report writing, learning various styles of Minutes taking and demonstrate exercises of Minutes drafting.

iii. PIPS and KAS

PIPS and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung also conducted a training needs assessment TNA and feasibility for parliamentary functionaries in August to September 2010. The salient findings and recommendations of the TNA are:

i. Training areas: Legislative Drafting, knowledge of rules of procedures, legislative research, computer skills, English language training and report/minutes writing are important areas that need special attention in future trainings of parliamentary staff.

ii. Time: Trainings for staff should be conducted in morning session during week days and not during the session days of the parliament.

iii. Duration: Parliamentary Staff showed preference for trainings that span over a number of days (1-2 weeks) as compared to those that span over a single day.

iv. Training material should be provided to staff before, preferably before the training starts, to support the learning process.

v. Mechanism of evaluating trainees on their performance during trainings must be adopted. The results of these evaluations must be visible to senior staff and supervisors of the trainees. PIPS Essential Staff and development of core curriculum In November 2010, essential staff was hired to undertake necessary functions of the Institute. The Institute worked on development of core curriculum for 21 core professional development areas in light of the Members Survey and Strategic plans of the National Houses and provincial assemblies. PIPS also developed an outreach publication named Discover the Parliament of Pakistan as part of its efforts to enhance public understanding of working of Parliament. The publication is being utilized to undertake interactive activities with students, young professionals, women and members of civil society in federal capital as well as the provincial capitals of the country.