Pakistan People’s Party MNA Naveed Qamar, a board member of PIPS, said the institute and the legislators were not on the same page. PHOTO: PILDAT
They were discussing the institute’s role at the launch of a report on its performance prepared by the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) stressing the need for transparency in its affairs.
The report has put forward a few recommendations including the need to work harder in order to achieve its goals and objectives, greater transparency for its activities and devising a standard procedure for recruitment at the institute through the Federal Public Service Commission.
The institute was established in 2008 under a parliament’s act, aiming to promote research and provide training and information to parliamentarians.
Pakistan People’s Party MNA Naveed Qamar, a board member of PIPS, said the institute and the legislators were not on the same page.
“PIPS should make its presence felt in the National Assembly sessions and create awareness among parliamentarians through its outreach programmes and making it more accessible within the parliament buildings,” he said adding that all training courses have to be conducted in continuous cycles.
Expressing similar views, ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MNA Rana Afzal Khan stressed that there was a need for legislators to develop a comprehensive understanding of parliamentary traditions, rules, practices, law and policy drafting mechanism.
PTI’s lawmaker Ali Muhammad Khan said that the institute has not been able to give research support, especially to the new entrants into the parliamentarian. The institute, he stressed, should work in close coordination with the parliament, provincial and local governments.
Earlier, giving an overview of the report, Iftikharullah Babar said that during the initial three years PIPS performed well, whereas in 2012-13 it has lacked to actively participate in the parliament.
According to his assessment, the scope of the institute’s functions has been very a hindrance. “As it is, the PIPS had focused on only four functions out of 12. Very significantly, it is supposed to bridge the gap between citizens and parliamentarians, this duty however not yet been carried out,” he criticised.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 9th, 2015.
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