ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) convened a briefing session aimed at enhancing parliamentary engagement with the committee system for effective government oversight.
Titled “How Can Parliamentary Committees Ensure Good Governance?”, the session fostered insightful discussions on improving committee functionality to promote transparency and accountability.
The event opened with a presentation by Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, President of PILDAT, who provided a detailed overview of the committee processes, highlighting the various types of Standing Committees in both the National Assembly and the Senate.
He noted concerning trends in the performance of the 15th National Assembly, where a six-month delay occurred in forming Standing Committees, despite existing rules mandating their establishment within 30 days of the Leader of the House’s ascension. On average, each committee held only 28 meetings over five years, averaging approximately six meetings per year. Furthermore, there was an 11% decline in committee activity in the Senate for the 2023-2024 parliamentary year, dropping from 326 meetings in 2022-2023 to 290.
In his closing remarks, Mehboob proposed several recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of Standing Committees:
- Timely appointments based on members’ expertise
- More frequent scheduling of committee meetings
- An active role for National Assembly Committees in the budget process
- Televising public parts of committee meeting proceedings
- Holding public hearings to gather community input
- Providing dedicated research staff and meeting rooms for committees
Following the presentation, an interactive discussion ensued, where parliamentarians voiced the challenges they encounter within the committee system, particularly in obtaining information from the Executive and responses to committee recommendations. Esteemed staff from the National Assembly and Senate Secretariat addressed these concerns, clarifying parliamentary rules related to committees and emphasizing the necessity for ongoing capacity-building initiatives.
Participants unanimously agreed on the importance of increasing public awareness regarding the work of Standing Committees, suggesting that live broadcasts and public hearings could significantly enhance visibility and engagement.
Among the attendees were notable members of the National Assembly and Senate, including Sehar Kamran (PPPP), Pullain Baloch (NP), Kesoo Mal Kheeal Das (PML-N), Senator Bushra Anjum Butt (PML-N), Senator Zeeshan Khanzada (PTI), Senator Dr. Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur (PTI), and others. Former Senator Seemee Ezdi was also present.
This session marks a significant step towards revitalizing the parliamentary committee system in Pakistan, reinforcing the commitment to good governance and effective oversight.
