Islamabad, November 11: PILDAT has launched an Online Directory of Parliamentary Committees, Civil Society and Research Organisations of Pakistan after launching the first-ever print Directory of the Parliamentary Committees and Civil Society/Research Organisations earlier. The online Directory can be accessed on www.pildat.org/csodirectory

The initiative has been undertaken by PILDAT to fill the gap between the Parliament and the civil society in Pakistan and serve as a resource tool for the Parliament to facilitate the use of professional research sources in addressing issues relevant to the Committees. Linkages of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) including the professional bodies, research and advocacy organisations with the Parliament and Parliamentary Committees are essential to get an independent view from the society about the issues under consideration. This is even more essential in Pakistan as the Parliament and Parliamentary Committees have limited in-house research capacity. This bridge will also help the Civil Society Organisations to put across their point of views to the Parliamentary committees and thus further the cause they are working for.

Unfortunately, the tradition of interaction between the CSOs and the Parliamentary Committees has been non-existent or, at best, weak in Pakistan. The proposed directory of CSOs and Parliamentary Committees is expected to enhance the prospects of CSOs to engage with the Parliament and help Parliamentary Committees and Parliamentarians in locating potential sources of information relevant to their needs.

This directory attempts to give information of all standing committees of the Parliament as well as of the Provincial Assemblies of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh. No standing committee has been elected in Balochistan Assembly after the General Election 2008, therefore it is the only legislature whose committee information does not appear in the Directory.

PILDAT has attempted to ensure that this directory is as complete as a dynamic document like this can be. The organisations focussing on at least any one of the following categories have been included in the directory:

1. Produce credible research work that can help the Parliamentary Committees

2. Research centres associated with universities in Pakistan which produce credible research that can be used by the Parliamentary Committees

3. Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) that are associated with research or study in policy-related issues/matters that are relevant for use by the Parliamentary Committees

PILDAT appreciates the cooperation of all the Civil Society Organisations and Research Institutions included in this Directory, for providing us with their detailed information.

This Directory has been prepared under the PILDAT project titled Electoral and Parliamentary Process and Civil Society in Pakistan, in partnership with the East-West Center, Hawaii and supported by the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDF).

How to Use this Online Directory

You can use this online and dynamic version of the PILDAT directory in the following ways:

1. Standing Committees of each legislature are available under the headlines of Parliamentary Standing Committees that lists Standing Committees of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Standing Committees of the Senate of Pakistan and Special Committees of the Parliament. Similarly under the heading of Provincial Standing Committees each provincial legislature of Pakistan is listed carrying its Standing Committees such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh. Please note that no standing committee has been elected in the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan Assembly after the General Election 45%8, therefore it is the only legislature whose committee information does not appear in the Directory.

2. By clicking on a committee by subject/title, you can view the list of relevant organisations/institutions corresponding to a committee

3. Another way to see committees paired with relevant organisations/institutions is to click on Civil Society/Research Organisations that will open up an alphabetical list of all relevant organisations listed in this directory. Each organisation carries list of relevant national and provincial committees of the 6 Pakistani legislatures

4. A Matrix listing Standing Committees of 6 legislatures and relevant Civil Society/Research Organisations is also available that provides an overview of subject-wise pairing of committees with relevant organisations.

5. The entire directory can be downloaded in a PDF version for your ease. It is also converted for use as an E-book for compatibility with E-readers

6. Organisations listed in this directory who wish to modify their information can fill the online Info Modification Form and submit it online. PILDAT team, upon review, will modify the required information in the online directory

7. Organisations wishing to list themselves in the directory can provide their relevant information by filling out the form under List Your Organisation and submit it to PILDAT online. Information received thus will be duly made available online as part of the directory after review. Please note that PILDAT reserves the right to include information or modifications.

8. Your feedback and review is always welcome. Please write to us by filling online the Feedback Form

We wish the users of an easy and comfortable experience of browsing and utilising thisPILDAT Online Directory of Parliamentary Committees, Civil Society and Research Organisations.