The 7th (CPA) Commonwealth Parliamentarians Association Secretary-General His Excellency Mr. Akbar Khan visited (PIPS) the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services in relation with the Parliamentary Staff Development Workshop for the Asia/ South- East Asia Regions being held at PIPS Campus Islamabad. During his visit he held a meeting with the Acting Executive Director PIPS Mr. Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka and other staff members to discuss issues of mutual cooperation and interest. The Executive Director apprised the General Secretary about the working of Institute and new initiative being taken by PIPS to support the Parliamentarians and Parliamentary Functionaries in performance of their duties.

Mr. Akbar Khan appreciated the good work done by PIPS with reference to the broader scope it has and desired that a longer relationship may be established between CPA and PIPS for mutual benefit. He specifically emphasised the availability of the CPA forum to circulate the PIPS relevant courses to get the nominations from the Common Wealth Parliaments for their Parliamentarians and the Parliamentary staff.  The Executive Director PIPS informed him that PIPS is now member of Parliamentary Research Centres of 12 countries of Middle east, Asia and North Africa and it is already providing guidance to Sri Lankan Parliament to set up their PRC. Mr Zaka also suggested to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both the esteemed organizations to systematically identify the areas of mutual cooperation including but not limited to provision of offering PIPS courses to CPA member parliaments and their provinces on rules of procedures, committee system, parliamentary research and development; the Secretary General endorsed the idea.

Mr. Akbar Khan further highlighted the need for PIPS to engage with the regional Parliaments in more robust way and offered his help to kick start the process from the Maldivian Parliament. The Executive Director assured the Secretary General CPA of all out support of his Institute in this regard. Secretary General CPA also expressed his delight to see the excellent work being done by Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) to strengthen good governance and democracy in Pakistan. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the Honourable Guest and presentation of a set of PIPS publications to Secretary General by the PIPS Executive Director.