Pre-Budget Seminar for Committee Members of Senate and National Assembly.

June 4, 2015 MEMBERS, SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS

PIPS organized the fourth event in series of pre-budget seminars and orientations for Members of various Committees of Senate and National Assembly. Mr. Mahmood Salim Mahmood, Executive Director PIPS, welcomed the Honorable MPs and outlined the agenda of the Seminar. In view of the inevitable link between the Budget and the Economy, a session was dedicated to focusing on the “State of Pakistan’s Economy & Solutions to Current Challenges.” Dr. Waseem Shahid Malik, Assistant Professor School of Economics Quaid-i-Azam University, deliberated on this pertinent topic. Drawing on his experience as Ex. Finance Minister, Honorable MNA Mr. Omar Ayub Khan led a captivating session on “Budget Process Concept.” It was followed by a highly interactive question and answer session, in which Honorable MPs actively participated and gave their extremely valuable input for future ventures. Honorable Senator Farhat Ullah Babar presented vote of thanks at the end of the seminar. The organizing committee of the workshop comprised Mr. Muhammad Faisal Israr, Research Associate, Mr. Muhammad Rizwan Manzoor, Research Officer, and Ms. Asma Nasir, Research officer, while Mr. Haider Abbas, Additional Director Finance and Mr. Adnan Azeem, Deputy Director Budget & Accounts also assisted the MPs.

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.

Pre-Budget Seminar for Committee Members of Senate and National Assembly.

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