Islamabad, January 05, 2023 (PPI-OT): Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf’s address to the participants of the 26th Commonwealth Conference on the Role of Speakers and Presiding Officers held in Canberra, Australia. Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that nations can be guided on the path of development through active and dynamic parliaments. He said that the Parliament of Pakistan is guiding the people through innovative and effective measures.
He said that the whole world is going through great changes at the moment due to the corona virus and climate change, the economies of the world have been severely damaged and are under pressure. He said that the destruction caused by climate change is also a big challenge for the planet and the people of Pakistan are struggling with the biggest flood disasters in history due to climate change. He expressed these views on Thursday. Addressing the participants of the 26th Commonwealth Conference on the Role of Speakers and Presiding Officers held in Canberra, Australia.
Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf emphasized the need for people’s representatives to move forward together to solve the challenges faced by the nations and said that as the people’s representatives, the members are responsible for establishing a new social, cultural, political and economic system.
He said that the democratic system is the guarantor of the development and prosperity of the nations and all the decisions in the democratic system are made according to the public aspirations through mutual consultation. He said that after the industrial revolution, significant changes have taken place in the formation of a fair and inclusive society. He further said that in a democratic system, the government is accountable to the common citizen.
He said that martyr Ms. Benazir Bhutto described the gap between the people and their parliament as harmful for democracy. He said a transparent, fair and accessible parliament is the only way to bridge the gap between people and parliaments. Talking about the National Assembly Strategic Plan (NASP) of Pakistan, he said that (NASP) was introduced in the National Assembly in 2008 and was reviewed in 2014 in the light of the experiences gained from it.
It has been improved. He said that the third and current 5-year strategic plan NASP launched in 2019 has the support of all the parliamentary parties in the National Assembly. Funds are allocated and the entire process is monitored and reviewed by the Wing for Special Initiatives in the National Assembly. He added that the NASP in the Project Management Unit Secretariat has been established.
The Speaker said that in 2009, a non-partisan Women’s Parliamentary Caucus was formed in the National Assembly of Pakistan and represented women parliamentarians from all parliamentary parties and this caucus was informed by the 2010 Inter-Parliamentary Union Report and CPA publications and the United Nations.
Various agencies gave role model status and appreciated his performance. He said that a special parliamentary task force on sustainable development goals was established in the National Assembly in 2014 and the Parliament of Pakistan is the first parliament to change its development agenda to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I moved.
He said that this will improve the performance of the National Assembly of Pakistan Functionality can be assessed. The Speaker said that for the conservation of energy, the Parliament of Pakistan got the honor of becoming a 100% green Parliament for the first time by installing a one megawatt solar system.
Speaking about the disaster caused by the recent floods in Pakistan, the speaker said that the SDGs Secretariat played a very important role during the floods and by organizing a seminar involving the member countries of the IPU Asia-Pacific region, the world was informed about climate change in Pakistan. In this seminar, he informed about the damages and demanded the establishment of a fund for the countries affected by climate change.
Pakistan’s parliamentary delegation at the COP 27 international conference in Sharm-e-Sheikh convinced the world that Pakistan has become a victim of global environmental disaster, while Pakistan’s contribution to the emission of toxic gases is negligible.
He said that the youth are fundamental for the development of any nation and society done which is playing an important role for the welfare of the youth and this forum is playing the role of a bridge not only between the youth but also between the Parliament and the people.
Reforms have been brought in the committee system in the National Assembly of Pakistan. Among the committees, the most powerful committee is the Public Accounts Committee headed by the opposition All Ministries are bound by a Standing Order to submit their Annual Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) to their respective Committees by 30th January every year, in the manner in which the PSDP is approved before approval.
Pakistan also has the distinction of being the first country in South Asia to enact a Freedom of Information Act, any citizen under the Right to Access to Information Act 2017 relating to the Parliament and the Executive. May demand disclosure of any information;
The Parliament of Pakistan has formed friendship groups to promote relations with all friendly countries of the world. Friendship groups are an important tool for promoting parliamentary diplomacy through international and regional parliamentary forums.
Paving the way for strengthening bilateral relations, Pakistan IPU, CPA is an active partner of the Parliamentary Union of Islamic Countries. Our initiatives resulted in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Economic Cooperation Organization (PAECO), Afghanistan, China, Iran, Pakistan, Russian Federation and Turkey Speakers Conference, which created new forums such as counter-terrorism and strengthening regional ties.
The speaker said that in the year 2022, 75 years of Pakistan’s independence have been completed, Diamond Jubilee was celebrated in Parliament on the occasion of 75th Independence Day of Pakistan. Various events were organized on the occasion of Diamond Jubilee, from August 10 to August 13 last year, the House will open its doors to the general public. Special sessions of parliament for ordinary citizens, people belonging to minority communities, women, and children were held inside the National Assembly Hall.
These special events of the National Assembly of Pakistan were appreciated worldwide. Sanitary worker in the House of National Assembly, transgender people, school teachers, nurses and young children drew the attention of public representatives through their complaints. Cabinet ministers, committee heads, current and former members of the National Assembly carefully listened to the words of the common people of the society.
For the first time in history, Parliament became the top trend on Twitter, a child’s speech received more than 60 million hits on social media. Children’s Caucus has been formed in the National Assembly in consideration of the resolution passed in the Children’s Parliament. Caucus is currently reviewing all child-related laws and the work of state agencies.
Parliament conducted the first public sector building audit for private individuals. Considering whose recommendations, the entire building was made accessible to PWDs. By building ramps, special washrooms and other fixtures for PWDs. The website of the National Assembly of Pakistan has been made accessible to the visually and hearing impaired. The Constitution of Pakistan in Braille for the visually impaired. Format has been adapted.
For more information, contact:
Secretary,
National Assembly of Pakistan
Automation Centre, National Assembly Secretariat,
Parliament House, Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9221082-83
Fax: +92-51-9221106
Email: assembly@na.gov.pk
Website: www.na.gov.pk