Post Budget Seminar for Members of Provincial Assembly of Sindh.

June 15, 2015 MEMBERS, SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS

Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services organized Post Budget Seminar for MPAs of Sindh Assembly on Monday June 15, 2015 in Committee Room No 2 of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh, Karachi. The seminar was attended by over 25 participants including 15 Members of the Provincial Assembly from all major parties in the House including PPP, MQM and PTI as well as senior Secretariat staff including Secretary and Special Secretary. The proceedings began with the recitation of Holy Quran by IT Administrator Mr. Sajid followed by welcome remarks by Mr. Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka, Director Research & IT PIPS. Mr. Zaka thanked the Honorable Speaker Sindh Assembly, Agha Siraj Khan Durrani, and the Secretary Sindh Assembly for his guidance and support in steering PIPS activities for MPs in Provincial Assembly of Sindh on behalf of PIPS President BoG and Honourable Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani as well as Executive Director Mr. Mahmood Salim Mahmood. Secretary Provincial Assembly of Sindh Mr. G M Umar Farooq thanked PIPS for holding the all important post budget seminar one day after the Budget was presented. Renowned Economist & Former Vice Chancellor Quaid-i-Azam University, Mr. Eatzaz Ahmed, deliberated on the “State of Pakistan’s Economy & Solutions to Challenges,” which was followed by Q and A Session conducted by PIPS Director Research and IT. Budget document reading and analysis was elaborated by Mr. Muhammad Adnan Azeem, Deputy Director (Budget Analysis) PIPS followed by another question and answer session in which the Honorable members of Sindh Assembly keenly participated. The PIPS Research and IT wing organizing team comprised of Mr. Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka, Director Research & IT, who was also the Master of the Ceremony; Mr. Muhammad Adnan Azeem, Deputy Director (Budget Analysis) and Mr. Muhammad Rizwan Manzoor, Research Officer. The MPAs appreciated the knowledgeable discourses by Mr. Eatzaz, Mr. Zaka and Mr Adnan and termed it as most beneficial post budget seminar held at the Provincial Assembly of Sindh.

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.

Post Budget Seminar for Members of Provincial Assembly of Sindh.

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