Youth representatives interact with young MPAs in Sindh

In a UNDP-PILDAT Sindh Youth and Young Legislators Provincial Dialogue held in Karachi on Wednesday, youth representatives shared their detailed policy demands with MPAs.

Welcoming the participants, President PILDAT Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, said that formation of a youth forum was essential to engage with the youth of the Sindh province. He noted that all other provincial assemblies and the federal legislature had functional young parliamentary forums and the Sindh Assembly should also formulate their forum at the earliest.

Twenty young representatives belonging to various disciplines from the University of Karachi and young political activists presented their policy demands in the areas of education, harassment and the requirement to maintain a harassment register, need for an effective local government system and how young MPAs ould improve the youth’s access to the Sindh Assembly.

The MPAs deeply appreciated the clarity with which youth representatives highlighted and presented the issues faced by youths and those close to the heart of the youth.

In an ensuing discussion between the MPAs and the youths on a future engagement plan, it was agreed that the MPAs would work to invite groups of youths from various universities to witness the proceedings of the Sindh Assembly. They also pledged to stay involved with the youth by moving a resolution in the house to facilitate the youth interaction with the Sindh Assembly.

The MPAs who joined the forum included Arsalan Taj of the PTI, Shahryar Khan Mahar from the GDA, Bilal Ahmed Ghaffar of the PTI, and Sharmila Farooqi of the PPP, while Sarwat Fatima from the TLP, Nida Khuhro from the PPP and Sadia Javed of the PPP joined the forum on line.

The dialogue was organised by PILDAT under a UNDP Project -- Build Leadership Capacity and Mainstream Young Men and Women in Policy Processes Leading to Inclusive and

Pro-Youth Legislation.