February 19; The two day Workshop for the Honourable MPAs of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Consolidating Democratic Devolution in Pakistan after the 18th Amendment ended successfully in Bhurban today. Honourable Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, MPA (PP-179, Kasur-V, PML-N), chaired the second day of the Workshop.

Professor Dr. Aisha Ghaus-Pasha, Director Institute of Public Policy, briefed the participants on Fiscal Management and Accountability in Pakistan. She briefed the participants on Constitutional provisions and explained that every citizen has the right to have access to information. She explained constitutional entities and their working and composition. She further explained the Budget cycle and resource distribution among provinces. In the end, Dr. Aisha Ghaus Pasha gave recommendations on fiscal management and transparency. She suggested that borrowing powers of Provincial Governments should continue to be restricted. The Federal Right to Information Act must include provision for setting up a high powered (powers of a Civil Court) Federal Information Commission. There should be a ceiling on growth rate annually on charged expenditure and discretionary funds must be abolished. She also favoured discontinuation of the practice of development funds for Parliamentarians. She also recommended the NAB must be required to submit an Annual Report to the National Assembly.

Ms. Rachel LaForest, Associate Professor and MPA Program Director, School of Policy Studies, Queen's University, explained to the participants the administrative decentralization and building capacity within the Federal Systems. She said that the creation of a strong legal framework must be a priority in any reform effort to ensure sound utilization of public resources and to minimize corruption.

Earlier, Mr. Faheem Ahmed Khan, Projects Manager PILDAT, welcomed the participants of the Workshop and introduced the eminent Speakers of the second day of the Workshop. Ms. Aimen Khan, Projects Manager PILDAT, gave a recap of day one of the Workshop.

Upon conclusion, Honourable Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, MPA (PP-179, Kasur-V, PML-N) thanked the participants and hoped that the Honourable MPAs will benefit from the Workshop.

The participants who joined the Workshop from Punjab Assembly included Honourable Dr. Alia Aftab, MPA (W-338, PML-N), Honourable Mr. Ramesh Singh Arora, MPA (NM-368, PML-N), Honourable Mr. Muhammad Arif Abbasi, MPA (PP-13, Rawalpindi-XIII, PTI), Honourable Dr. Waseem Akhtar, MPA (PP-271, Bahawalpur-V, JI), Honourable Mr. Naeem Safdar Ansari, MPA (PP-177, Kasur-III, PML-N), Honourable Mrs. Shameela Aslam, MPA (W-312, PML-N), Honourable Ms. Irum Hassan Bajwa, MPA (W-344, PML-N), Honourable Ms. Azma Zahid Bukhari, MPA (W-318, PML-N), Honourable Chaudhry Abdur Razzak Dhillon, MPA (PP-33, Sargodha-VI, PML-N),Honourable Mr. Ahmed Ali Khan Dreshak, MPA (PP-243, Dera Ghazi Khan-IV, PTI), Honourable Ms. Lubna Faisal, MPA (W-332, PML-N), Honourable Mr. Ehsan Riaz Fatyana, MPA (PP-58, Faisalabad-VIII, IND), Honourable Ms. Rahila Khadim Hussain, MPA (W-345, PML-N), Honourable Rana Munawwar Hussain, MPA (PP-36, Sargodha-IX, PML-N), Honourable Chaudry Nazar Hussain, MPA (PP-27, Jehlum-IV, PML-N), Honourable Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, MPA (PP-179, Kasur-V, PML-N), Honourable Dr. Najma Afzal Khan, MPA (W-320, PML-N), Honourable Ms. Nabeela Hakim Ali Khan, MPA (W-358, PTI), Honourable Mr. Ameer Muhammad Khan, MPA (PP-47, Bhakkar-I, PML-N), Honourable Sardar Shahabuddin Khan, MPA (PP-263, Layyah-II, PPPP), Honourable Mr. Ahmed Shah Khagga, MPA (PP-229, Pakpattan-III, PML), Honourable Mr. Muhammad Jahanzaib Khan Kichi, MPA (PP-239, Vehari-VIII, PTI), Honourable Ms. Faiza Ahmed Malik, MPA (W-362, PPPP), Honourable Sardar Bahadur Mekhan, MPA (PP-38, Sargodha-XI, PML-N), Honourable Sardar Waqas Hassan Mokal, MPA (PP-180, Kasur-VI, PML), Honourable Ms. Surriya Naseem, MPA (W-322, PML), Honourable Mr. Kazim Ali Peerzada, MPA (PP-273, Bahawalpur-VII, PML-N), Honourable Dr. Murad Raas, MPA (PP-152,Lahore-XVI, PTI), Honourable Engineer Qamar Ul Islam Raja, MPA (PP-5, Rawalpindi-V, PML-N), Honourable Ms. Saadia Sohail Rana, MPA (W-355, PTI), Honourable Ms. Lubna Rehan, MPA (W-340, PML-N), Honourable Ms. Shunila Ruth, MPA (NM-371, PTI), Honourable Mr. Ali Salman, MPA (PP-168, Sheikhupura-Cum-Nanakana Sahib-I, IND), Honourable Mr. Muhammad Yaqub Nadeem Sehti, MPA (PP-175, Kasur-I, PML-N), Honourable Chaudry Tahir Ahmed Sindhu, MPA (PP-30, Sargodha-III, PML), Honourable Syed Tariq Yaqoob, MPA (PP-117, Mandi Bahauddin-II, PML-N) while the MPAs from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly who participated in the Workshop included Honourable Mr. Mehmood Jan, MPA (PK-7, Peshawar-VII, PTI), Honourable Ms. Aamna Sardar (WR-14, PML-N), Honourable Ms. Maliha Tanveer, MPA (WR-5, PTI) and Honourable Mr. Wajeeh Uz Zaman, MPA (PK-56, Mansehra-IV, PML-N).

Mr. Inayat Ullah Lak, Director General Parliamentary Affairs and Research, Punjab Assembly, Mr. Atta Ullah Khan, Special Secretary, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and Syed Waqar Shah, Special Secretary, Speaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also participated in the Workshop.

Following Discussion Papers were also shared among participants as backgrounder on Federalism:
Historical Evolution of Federalism in Pakistan  [English Version]   [Urdu Version]

Inter-Governmental Relations in Pakistan Evolution and Potential with Relation to 18th Amendment  [English Version]   [Urdu Version]

Pakistan Fiscal Management And Accountability [English Version] These workshops are part of the project funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade & Development of the Government of Canada. These workshops are part of the project funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade & Development of the Government of Canada.