NA, PA Secretaries meet in Parliament

ISLAMABAD: Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has said that enhancing connectivity and fostering close cooperation among national legislatures is pivotal for strengthening democratic institutions.

“The realization of the dream of an effective parliament hinges on the development of a unified strategy and consensus for proactive and efficient parliamentary functions,” he noted during an address to the participants of the Secretaries’ Conference in Parliament House on Wednesday.

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq highlighted that the inclusion of provincial representatives in international delegations would allow them to gain valuable insights into best parliamentary practices worldwide.

The Speaker emphasized that the 18th Speakers’ Conference, set to be held after a lapse of a decade, would provide an opportunity for legislators from all provincial and legislative assemblies to collaborate and develop a shared strategy.

He stressed the importance of knowledge-sharing and cooperation among national legislatures and encouraged provincial and legislative assemblies to establish liaison mechanisms to enhance connectivity and promote digitalization.

He also urged the need for training and legislative capacity-building to ensure meritocracy. Ayaz Sadiq also emphasized the establishment of an Association of Whips to foster greater cooperation among legislators.

The Speaker also called for expanding the role of the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS), urging it to serve as a cornerstone for legislative development and capacity-building.

He also urged an Association of Secretaries comprising provincial and legislative assemblies to facilitate the exchange of knowledge.

He recommended the holding of regular meetings among secretariats and parliamentarians from federal, provincial, and legislative assemblies to benefit from shared experiences and best practices.

The Speaker underlined the need for uniformity in legislative processes and the importance of bridging gaps between legislatures.

Furthermore, the Speaker commended the efforts of provincial and legislative assemblies in institutionalizing and supporting his vision for parliamentary caucuses and forums.

He emphasized the importance of regular interactions between the convenors and presidents of parliamentary caucuses, provincial executives, and governors to enhance unity and curb political polarization.

The Secretaries’ Conference focused on finalizing the agenda for the 18th Speakers’ Conference. The Chair of the Secretaries’ Conference, NA Secretary General Tahir Hussain welcomed the participants, praising the efforts of all participants to develop a uniform strategy for proactive parliament. The NA Secretary General also stressed that there is a need to provide one consensus-based platform.

He further proposed to form a Secretaries association to meet every three months to review the implementation of the decisions taken in the Speaker’s Conference.

The Secretaries’ Conference deliberated upon agenda items of the 18th Speakers ‘Conference to be held from 18th December to 20th December 2024 in Islamabad.

The agenda items include Constitutional issues involving the Legislatures, Institutional Reforms & Revisiting Practice and Procedure of Assemblies, Matters related to the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS), Common Wealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and other administrative issues.

The participants of the conference put forth suggestions for finalizing the agenda of the 18th Speakers’ Conference.

The conference was attended by Syed Hasnain Haider Secretary Senate, Kifayat Ullah Khan Afridi Secretary of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mr Ghulam Muhammad Umar Farooq, Secretary General of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh, Tahir Shah Kakar Secretary of the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan, Mr Abdul Razzaq Secretary of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, Basharat Hussain Secretary of the Legislative Assembly of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Khalid Mehmood DG Parliamentary Affairs and Research Punjab Assembly, Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka Executive Director PIPS and other distinguished delegates.