The Mustehkam Parliamaan EU-GIZ Project and the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) held a day long Parliamentary Orientation on State of Economy and Annual Budget FY 2023-24 on Monday, June 13, 2022. As per tradition since 2013-14, the Institute continues to offer special research and technical assistance to MPs of federal as well as provincial legislators during the budget presentation and debate through the PIPS Economy and Budget Desk of the Research wing. The Interactive Seminar was one of the activities in the same context, which was attended by attended by more than 25 participants including parliamentary researchers and officers from the National Parliament, experts on economy and public finance, political party representatives as well as journalist-members of the Parliamentary Reporters Association PRA at the National Assembly and Senate of Pakistan.

The proceedings began with recitation of the blessed verses from the Holy Quran by Mr Muhammad Rizwan Manzoor, AD (Research) PIPS and Incharge of Economy and Budget desk. The inaugural session included welcome remarks and introduction of agenda by Mr Muhammad Anwar PIPS Executive Director. ED PIPS also touched upon the NA and Senate Rules of Procedures regarding Annual Budget debate and tools of intervention available such as cut motions. Mr Muhammad Adnan Azeem, Advisor Ministry of Finance and Adjunct faculty of PIPS Economy and Budget Desk, presented the summary of allocations and the annual development plan, salient features of Annual Budget Statements and Budget in Brief FY2023-24. In Qs and Ans session to the SESSION ONE, in addition to audience in Islamabad, MPs from Provincial Assembly of Sindh asked intriguing questions virtually through the PIPS PRC Karachi to the panel regarding process of addressing financial annual grants to private entities by the government during the budget session.

In the post lunch SECOND SESSION, country’s reputed Economist Mr Waseem Shahid Malik, Adjunct Faculty of PIPS since 2014, elucidated on the state and challenges of Economy as well as the way forward both in short term followed by strategic imperatives for consideration of country’s top policy makers and MPs. Last but not the least, Mr Aizaz Asif, PFM Expert from Mustehkam Parlimaan threw light on available parliamentary authority especially with regard to role of parliamentary committees in actual participation during all steps of budget making, authorization and scrutiny of various ministries through out the year.

Mr Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka, Director General (Research) moderated the one day orientation, conducted the Q and A as well as presented the Vote of thanks at the end. The participants took keen part in the roundtable Q and A session as well as interactive deliberation to chalk down short term and long terms steps to be taken for the Parliament, the government and respective institutions to kick-start the country’s economy. Mr Muhammad Rizwan Manzoor (AD, Research) PIPS conducted general coordination with Mr Aizaz Asif of MuP for holding the day-long deliberations. The one day event continued from 1030 am to 5 pm.