Islamabad, Monday August 10, 2015: The Honourable Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq launched National Assembly’s Strategic Plan (NASP) on Monday, August 10, 2015 at Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS). The Plan spells out Hon’ Speaker’s vision of transforming the National Assembly into a more modern and more efficient, transparent and responsive institution that is in line with the most developed Parliaments in the world. The NASP was developed by a Strategic Planning Oversight Committee (SPOC) formed by the Hon’ Speaker with representation of MNAs from all major political parties.

MNA Marriyum Aurangzeb, an active member of SPOC, presented the salient features of NASP in a ceremony that was attended by Members of the Parliament, Ministers, Diplomatic Community and major international Donors. She elaborated the six main goals of the programme that feature Strengthening of Legislation; Ensuring oversight, transparency, accountability and judicious utilisation of time and resources; Safeguard the integrity and improve representative role of members; Introduce Structures reforms in Information Communication and Technology to increase efficiency of Parliamentary Business; and to strengthen the capacity of Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services to make it into a premier training and research institute for Members and staff of the National Parliament, the four Provincial Assemblies and two Legislative Assemblies.

The Hon’ Speaker while addressing the ceremony stated that NA is fully committed to accomplishing the goals set forth in the NASP. He reiterated his resolve to improve the efficiency and quality of Parliament’s output and ensured that implementation of NASP will show high rewards in the coming days. He informed the gathering that implementation of priority actions of NASP have already been initiated which include hiring of dynamic Human Resource through the Federal Public Service Commission, to ensure transparency and excellence. These actions also include establishing a Legislative Drafting Counsel to facilitate quality legislation; to expand existing portfolios of the Public Relations and International Relations branches to ensure Parliament’s accessibility and transparency and support PIPS in their delivery of support to the National Parliament, Provincial Assemblies and Legislative Assemblies.

Commending the efforts of the SPOC, the Hon’ Speaker said that he congratulates all the Members of SPOC who contributed towards the development of NASP as a team of Parliamentarians, with the collective objective of strengthening and improving Parliamentary services, regardless of party affiliations.

The Hon’ Speaker also mentioned the contribution of the European Union for providing assistance in the process of NASP development and appreciated their commitment to the strengthening of democratic institutions in Pakistan.