Geneva: Addressing the autumn session of the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments in Geneva, Switzerland, Hafeezullah Sheikh, the Special Secretary of the Senate of Pakistan, highlighted the critical need for better coordination and clarity among parliamentary committees to effectively address overlapping global challenges such as climate change, food security, water scarcity, and energy transitions.
According to Senate of Pakistan, Sheikh emphasized the complex interconnections between various policy domains which often lead to conflicting competencies within parliamentary structures. He pointed out that the traditional organization of committees along ministerial lines could lead to redundancy and contradictions when dealing with multidisciplinary issues. Sheikh detailed the conflicts that arise from overlapping mandates and ambiguous rules, exacerbated by the evolving nature of global challenges.
During his speech, Sheikh stressed the importance of implementing strategies to enhance collaboration among committees, including defining clear mandates and specific jurisdictions for each committee. He cited the Senate’s approach of requiring special permission from the Chairman in cases of jurisdictional overlap as a successful method to mitigate conflicts and maintain operational clarity.
Sheikh also proposed the idea of clustering related committees and regularly reviewing and adjusting committee functions to adapt to new challenges. He underscored the role of joint committees, parliamentary caucuses, and the Committee of the Whole House in Pakistan’s Senate as effective solutions to enhance communication and collaboration among members.
In conclusion, Sheikh advocated for a multidisciplinary approach to parliamentary governance, suggesting that enhanced communication and coordination could lead to more effective legislative outcomes. “By working together, we can overcome these challenges and create a more robust, coordinated parliamentary system,” Sheikh concluded, urging parliaments worldwide to adopt similar reforms to tackle the complexities of modern governance.