MPs briefed on NAP implementation

LAHORE: PILDAT held a workshop on the 20-point National Action Plan for Punjab Assembly Standing Committee on Home Affairs here Tuesday. The workshop familiarised parliamentarians with the salient features of NAP, the stakeholders involved and shared the status of its implementation in Punjab.

Addressing the session, PML-N MPA and Standing Committee on Home Affairs Chairperson Makhdum Syed Masood Alam, stated that  , the committee did not have the authority to call its own meetings and hold the government departments to account which severely limited its ability to undertake oversight on NAP.

Rana Muhammad Afzal, Parliamentary Secretary Home and PML-N MPA stated that Pakistan had paid a heavy price in the war on terror, but its achievements had not been recognised. He emphasised the role of ordinary citizens in winning this war, and reaffirmed the resolve of home affairs committee in doing everything in its authority to ensure implementation of NAP in the province.

Chaudhry Laal Hussain, PML-N MPA highlighted that parliamentarians are unable to perform their legislative and oversight duties as well because they are expected to deal with day-to-day issues and conflicts in their constituencies.

He stated that empowering local governments will be very beneficial in overcoming this hurdle.Rai Mumtaz Hussain Babar, Senior Secretary Punjab Assembly, stated that lack of authority for the standing committees to hold meetings on their own was a major hurdle.

Nonetheless, many positive actions had been taken by special committees made by Punjab Assembly for purpose  of oversight. He assured the gathering that he would take the suggestion made at the workshop to the assembly and will discuss the same with the minister concerned and Punjab Assembly Speaker so that periodic review of progress on NAP could be made possible.

Tasneem Noorani highlighted that while progress had been made in Punjab regarding NAP, there was a great need for national level leadership to take ownership of implementation of such an important document. National focal body Nacta had not become fully operational which created hurdles in better co-ordination between provinces and federal government on NAP.