Islamabad, Thursday, July 4, 2024: Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) with the collaboration of Centre for Peace and Development Initiative (CPDI) organized a day long with the members of civil society on functioning of the Parliament. The main aim of the event was to bridge the gap between civil society and the Parliament of Pakistan. The panelists focused their discussion on what are the tools through which the civil society can engage with the members of the Parliament in order to bring their inputs and feedback on major issues of public importance which the civil society works on. The event was attended by around 40 participants, who were present in person as well as virtually.
Mr. Muhammad Rizwan Manzoor, Assistant Director Research, PIPS, moderated the event. The event started with the National Anthem, followed by recitation of Holy Quran. In the opening remarks, Mr. Mukhtar Ahmad Ali, Executive Director CPDI, thanked team PIPS for organizing the event. He gave a brief introduction of CPDI and its working. He expected that the event will cover the tools in Parliament which can be helpful in engaging the members of civil society with the members of Parliament.
In the welcoming remarks, Mr. Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka, Executive Director PIPS, talked about the role of civil society as the civil society represents the public in general. He mentioned the quote of Quaid-e-Azam which is to help and work for the poor. He briefly explained that the tools with which the civil society can engage with the MPs are Question Hour, Calling Attention Notice and Resolutions. He suggested that engaging with the Chief Whips of the Parliamentary parties with the civil society will be very beneficial as they are responsible to ensure the complete quorum of the House as well as in the Committees. He also briefly explained the role of PIPS which is a bridge between the people and their Parliament.
Mr. Ubaid Ullah Chaudhry, The Program Manager at CPDI, explained the concept and rationale behind building the participants’ cohort of emerging professionals from across the Pakistan on pertinent area of Just and Renewable Energy. He elucidated, at the point of time, where every of the citizen at the global village is facing the consequences of climate change, we need to adopt an efficient cum climate friendly mode of energy utilization. He briefed that the group of participants are diverse geographically, academically and organizationally, so the event ensures that everybody is equally important and should be responsible to engage with the Members of Parliament for the betterment of the society.
Mr. Muhammad Mushtaq, Special Secretary National Assembly Secretariat, explained in detail the non-legislative tools for the Member Parliament through which the members of civil society can bring attention of the house on a particular issue related to public importance. He described that 130 working days are to be completed per year from the first day of House on which oath is taken. After the brief introduction of the house, he explained the non-legislative tools such as, Questions, Resolutions and Calling Attention Notices. Article 91(6) of the Constitution of Pakistan makes the Cabinet along with Prime Minister accountable and answerable to the National Assembly and the Senate. So the Question Hour has huge significance. He added that 15 days’ notice from MNA for question hour is given to the concerned cabinet members and the questions from the pool are selected through the balloting. The Standing Committees of the Hosue has representation from each party, and the members of civil society can reach out to them to incorporate their suggestions, apprehensions and the feedback in ongoing agenda item / business of the Committee. He explained the starred and un-starred questions briefly and short notice questions. He briefly explained the process of resolutions, which are non-binding but suggestive to the MPs and civil society can certainly help MPs to take up resolutions on the grave issues concerning the civil society. He further elaborated the Calling Attention Notices, which bring the attention of the concerned Minister to any issue or problem of urgent public importance, which can be addressed by the concerned minister or the cabinet member. There was a quick Question/Answer session at the end of this session.
Afterwards, Jam Muhammad Aslam, Additional Draftsman at the Ministry of Law and Justice, conducted the practicum activity explaining the process of putting up the questions, laying resolutions and calling attention notices before House, practically. The participants were combined into groups to jointly undertake the activity. The groups were asked to draft either question, calling attention notices or resolutions on serious one of the issue the society is facing. Some of groups came up with the Questions, some with the Resolutions, some put up calling attention notices and some groups came up with the all three, putting up questions, calling attention notices and resolutions on the same topic.
Later on two panel discussions were organized, first on topic, “Public Engagement in Committee Business and Caucuses” and the second on topic, “the Role of Committee Chair in Engaging Civil Society”. Mr. Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka was the moderator of the mentioned panel discussions.
In the first Panel Discussion on “Public Engagement in Committee Business and Caucuses”, Honorable MNA Mr. Bilal Azhar Kiyani, Convener, National Assembly’s SDG Taskforce and Honorable MNA Ms. Shahida Rehmani, Secretary Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) were the panelists and Mr. Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka, Executive Director PIPS was the moderator. Hon. Bilal Azhar Kiyani talked on the session on Public Engagement in Committee Business and Caucuses. He informed the participants that Pakistan is the first country to set up a parliamentary caucus on SDGs under National Development Agenda 2016. He briefly explained the goals of SDGs set up in 2015, and are meant to be achieved by 2030. The global compliance to meet SDG goals till now is 15% only in which Pakistan is participating actively. He added that after the 18th Constitutional Amendment, provincial responsibility in implementation of development agenda has increased. He explained the idea, coined by Joseph P. Haris in mid-20th century, that the Congress in session is Congress in Exhibition, while Congress in its Committee Room is Congress at work. He elaborated the role of parliamentary caucuses as these are issue important, and issue focused. Caucuses are voluntary based, in which first the issue is understood and the reasons why the issue is lapsed. Then they push the ministries to fill the gap.
The second panelist of the first panel discussion, Hon. Dr. Shahida Rehmani, Secretary Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC), joined the session virtually. She mainly focused her discussion on the ways to engage the caucuses with the public. She added that without the standing committees the parliament is not complete, as it misses many core functions including oversight of the government departments and legislative scrutiny. The ministries are answerable to the standing committees so these platforms are very powerful. The standing committees can question the performance of the ministries as well as suggest them with appropriate and suitable steps. She also explained the role of women’s parliamentary caucus in the society and how it has been engaging with the civil society to deal with the women related problems, through awareness campaigns as well as seminars, conferences etc. The moderator, Mr. Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka added that the special committees have all party representation. He gave an example of child abuse law, happened in 2017, under which it became a non-bail able offence, and the state becomes the case convener itself, so no pressure or bribe can be taken up in this offence.
The session was followed by question and answer session in which the participants actively asked questions from both the facilitators. One question was raised about the financing of SDGs goals as an issue, which was answered by Hon. Bilal Azhar Kiyani that the issue of financing the SDGs is global as 2030 is round the corner and still only 15% work is done in this behalf. One more question was raised that how public or civil society can connect with the caucuses or standing committees, on which Hon. MNA Bilal Azhar Kiyani answered that the standing committees are open to the public and anyone can attend those, and put up their suggestions and have meaningful conversations with the concerned MPs or Ministers. Moreover he promised that he will coordinate with the civil society group to have conversation with the MPs on the issue of renewable energy. At the end of the session, Hon. MNA Bilal Azhar Kiyani awarded the souvenirs to Mr. Muhammad Mushtaq and Mr. Jam Muhammad Aslam, whereas Executive Director PIPS, Mr. Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka presented the souvenirs to Hon. MNA Bilal Azhar Kiyani and Hon. MNA Ms. Shahida Rehmani.
In the second panel discussion that was on “Role of Committee Chair in Engaging the Civil Society”, Ms. Rabeea Anwar, Joint Secretary Senate Secretariat and Hon. MNA Ms. Shahida Begum, the former Member PAC were the panelists, and Mr. Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka, Executive Director PIPS was the moderator. Ms. Rabeea Anwar discussed the topic very briefly and to the point. On public petition table, she said that it is available online on the Senate Website, having lesser requirements for the ease of the public. The data on public petition is recorded in the computer and then a reference number is generated to the filer. The time period for the committee to report back on a petition is 30 days which can be extendable. She added that the benefit of Senate is that there is equal representation of provinces so petitions are taken up with equality by the senators. She added that Public Accounts Committee and public hearings also gives civil society a chance to talk on important topic and connect with the MPs. Honorable MNA Ms. Shahida Begum talked in the same session. She explained that societal problems are observed and heard with the Public Accounts Committee as it has more members than any other committee. She added that if the parliamentary tool of oversight is done with precision then most of issues are resolved in small amount of time. She explained that the caucuses have direct connection with the NGOs and civil society as both are issue focused and problem solving. She explained that the parliamentary committees as the sub organizations of Parliament and a bridge between the public and MPs.
At the end, the Executive Director PIPS, Mr. Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka gave vote of thanks. He appreciated and thanked CPDI team, participants and the worthy panelists for sparing time for the event despite their hectic schedules. There was a souvenir distribution ceremony in which the souvenirs were awarded to Mr. Ubaid Ullah Chaudhry, Program Manager CPDI, Mr. Muhammad Rizwan Manzoor, Assistant Director Research and Ms. Ayesha Tariq Khan, Assistant Director Research. Mr. Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka also presented souvenir to Hon. MNA Ms. Shahida Begum and Ms. Rabeea Anwar. The event organizing committee was comprised of Mr. Muhammad Rizwan Manzoor, Assistant Director Research, Ms. Ayesha Tariq Khan, Assistant Director Research assisted by Mr. Zahid Ashraf, Assistant Director IT, Mr. Adeel Shahzad, Library Assistant, Mr. Qasim, Assistant IT Officer and Office Attendant Ch. Amir Hussain. The event concluded with a group photo.