ISLAMABAD
\nChairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday called for collective efforts to build a robust framework that enhances parliamentary capacity and ensures effective oversight of fiscal policies.
\nChairman Senate was addressing a reception hosted by European Delegation to Pakistan in Islamabad said a news release. The European Union Delegation to Pakistan hosted a pre-departure reception in honour of Pakistan\u2019s Parliamentary Delegation ahead of their visit to the Parliament and Parliamentary Budget Offices (PBOs) of Austria and Ireland.
\nThe visit is organised under a 15 million euros European Union-funded project named Support to Parliamentary Development in Pakistan (also known as Mustehkam Parlimaan). This high-level delegation, comprising 23 distinguished members, is led by the Chairman of the Senate. Representing a broad spectrum of Pakistan\u2019s democratic leadership, the delegation includes the Speakers of the Provincial Assemblies, members of parliament from across political parties, and senior parliamentary secretariat officials.
\nThe reception, hosted by Dr. Riina Kionka, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Pakistan, highlighted the EU\u2019s commitment to strengthening Pakistan\u2019s parliamentary democracy through this project.
\nAddressing the gathering, the EU Ambassador said, \u201cThe European Union has been a steadfast partner in strengthening Pakistan\u2019s democratic institutions. This visit offers a valuable opportunity for Pakistani legislators to learn from the successful practices of Austria and Ireland in establishing PBOs. They play a critical role in independent budgetary analysis and effective parliamentary oversight. We remain committed to support the assemblies\u2019 initiatives towards inclusive, transparent, and accountable governance in Pakistan.\u201d The visit is a pivotal step in advancing Pakistan\u2019s legislative capacity, specifically in establishing an independent Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) to provide parliamentarians with professional, non-partisan, and in-depth analysis on the economy, budgetary and fiscal matters.
\nGilani said \u201cThis visit reflects the enduring and close ties between Pakistan and the European Union, highlighting our shared commitment to fostering democratic governance and addressing common challenges.
\nBy learning from the successful Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) models implemented in Austria and Ireland, we aim to establish a framework in Pakistan that promotes transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility. This will empower our federal parliament and provincial assemblies with data-driven insights for more informed budgetary decisions.
\nWe extend our deepest appreciation to the parliaments of Ireland and Austria and their leadership for their invaluable cooperation and support. Their experiences will provide us with practical knowledge and best practices to guide the establishment of a PBO in Pakistan, strengthening our democratic institutions and enhancing responsible governance.\u201d
\nThe visit will focus on observing the operational models of the Austrian and Irish PBOs, both established in the last decade, to address critical challenges such as budget transparency and parliamentary independence. Austria\u2019s PBO, established in 2012, enhances parliament\u2019s role in budgetary discussions through independent expertise, while Ireland\u2019s PBO, modelled on the Westminster system, provides a familiar framework for Pakistan\u2019s legislators.
\nMrs. Andrea Wicke, Ambassador of Austria to Pakistan, noted: \u201cThe establishment of PBOs strengthens the accountability and transparency of governance. We are delighted to host Pakistan\u2019s delegation and share Austria\u2019s journey in creating an independent budget office.\u201d
\nDeclan Johnston, Deputy Ambassador of Ireland to Pakistan (Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires), emphasised: \u201cWell-informed and quality independent advice and analysis is crucial in facilitating any parliament to fulfil its mandate. Ireland\u2019s Parliamentary Budget Office was established in 2017, and provides independent and impartial information, analysis and advice to our parliamentarians as they address the pivotal economic questions and issues of the day.
\nWe are very excited to have the opportunity to share our experiences with Pakistani parliamentarians, as they similarly seek to deliver high quality and effective economic legislation and policy for their constituents.\u201d
\nThe parliamentarians visit aligns with Mustehkam Parlimaan\u2019s objectives of supporting the National Parliament and Provincial Assemblies in legislative capacity-building, oversight enhancement, and inclusive governance. It will also enable participants to develop an action plan for establishing a PBO in Pakistan, informed by best practices from Austria and Ireland. \u2014DNA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday called for collective efforts to build a robust framework that enhances parliamentary capacity and ensures effective oversight of fiscal policies. Chairman Senate was addressing a reception hosted by European Delegation to Pakistan in Islamabad said a news release. The European Union Delegation to Pakistan hosted a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":423630,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-457403","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n