Parliamentary group starts working

LAHORE: The multi-party Parliamentary Working Group (PWG) launched by Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO) in collaboration with Punjab Assembly has started working on the issues of peace and sustainable development in Punjab Assembly.

The Members of Punjab Assembly filed over 40 questions and resolutions to question the performance of public offices in implementation of laws made under National Action Plan to counter extremism in Punjab. These questions were related to implementation of Vigilance Committees Act, Curriculum Reforms, Loudspeaker Act, Countering Hate Speech and Temporary Residents Act. Syed Kausar Abbas, Executive Director of Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO) said while talking to media that laws made by the Punjab government under National Action Plan were not implemented by the departments at local level and district level.

These laws needed to be implemented on immediate basis to strengthen the peace process and counter violent extremism at local level. The effective legislative oversight can help to improve implementation of laws and gauge the performance of the public offices for improved implementation of laws. SSDO will provide regular technical support to the parliamentarians to strengthen the legislative oversight for building peace and sustainable development.

Director Parliamentary Affairs of Punjab Assembly Inayatullah Lak said the legislative oversight was an important tool to improve the implementation of laws and public service delivery at local and provincial level. He said Punjab Assembly had quiet effective tools and members of Punjab Assembly needed to practice these tools to highlight the issues of their constituencies as well as district to improve the public related issues at local level. The parliamentarians can file questions, submit adjournment motions, resolutions and introduce private member bills. Every member of treasury and opposition benches has the equal right to use the legislative oversight tools. He appreciated SSDO interventions in the assembly to support the members and the assembly secretariat to strengthen the legislative oversight for peace and sustainable development in Punjab.