ISLAMABAD: A meeting of secretaries of the Senate, four Provincial Assemblies, legislative Assembly of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan finalized the agenda of the 18th Speakers' Conference to be held in May 2021.
The meeting unanimously decided to present the agenda of institutionalizing the Office of Whips of parliamentary party in all provincial and both Houses of the Parliament before the Speakers meeting.
The National Assembly Secretariat hosted the meeting. During the meeting the matters related to House procedures, oversight and outreach function of Parliament, inter-legislatures cooperation and administrative issues were deliberated upon in detail.
The agenda item related to Compilation of Speakers' ruling was also discussed. The Secretaries suggested that capacity building of Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Studies (PIPS ) was imperative to carry out this important task.
The Secretary of legislative body of AJ&K and Gilgit Baltistan suggested for the upgradation and modernisation of legislative bodies. The secretaries unanimously suggested more collaboration in library and research facilities so that extensive collection of books in libraries and research material is shared amongst the legislatures.
It was stressed that unification in the rules and procedures of standing committee related to strengthening of parliamentary oversight on executive would enable parliament to be more productive.
The enhanced role of PIPS to build up capacity of members of the legislative bodies and parliamentary support staff of all provincial, Senate and National Assembly was also suggested. The agenda items finalized in the instant meeting would be placed before the Speakers Conference to be held next month for discussion.