Orientation session held to equip MPAs with essential skills

LAHORE: The Provincial Assembly of the Punjab (PAP), in collaboration with the Mustehkam Parlimaan Project, implemented jointly by GIZ and the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS), organised a New Members Orientation (NMO) Programme for the newly elected Members of the Punjab Assembly.

The orientation aimed to equip the members with essential skills and knowledge to navigate their legislative roles effectively. Led by facilitators, sessions covered crucial aspects including parliamentary procedures, legislative processes, oversight tools, and the functions of parliamentary committees. Attended by over 145 members, the programme provided a platform for collaborative learning and exchange of ideas among the members.

These sessions were led by facilitators including Farhatullah Babar, former Senator, Usama Khawar, Khalid Mehmood, Advisors to Speaker PAP, M Anwar, Executive Director PIPS; Dr Syed Pervaiz Abbas, Deputy Team Leader and Aizaz Asif, Technical Lead, MuP. Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Malik Zaheer Iqbal Channer was the chief guest. He congratulated the newly elected members from both treasury and opposition benches during the inaugural session of the New Members Orientation Programme.

Participants were briefed on various parliamentary oversight tools essential for ensuring transparency and accountability in government operations, empowering public representatives to effectively carry out their constitutional duties.

Former Senator Farhatullah Babar highlighted that the orientation programme offered invaluable insights into parliamentary procedures and oversight mechanisms, laying a foundation for effective governance and accountability.