ISLAMABAD, Dec 20 (APP):The 18th Speakers’ Conference, concluded on Friday with the issuance of a unanimous joint declaration by all assemblies of the country’s federating units, emphasizing need to resolve disputes common challenges through dialogue.
The declaration includes 23 decisions aimed at promoting parliamentary values, ensuring transparency in legislation, addressing public grievances through effective measures, upholding the Constitution, and tackling challenges like climate change, while protecting the rights of women and children by strengthening parliamentary institutions.
The conference also reached consensus on effective measures to counter terrorism, combat fake news, and address negative trends on social media.
It stressed the need for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue in line with UN resolutions and the establishment of integrated parliamentary forums to address women’s and children’s issues.
A decision was made to extend the scope of the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) to assist Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).
Additionally, the next conference will be held in 2025 in Muzaffarabad to ensure continuity of the Speakers’ Conference.
The jointly approved declaration highlighted that the people of Pakistan have worked tirelessly to establish a federal, Islamic, democratic, parliamentary, and modern progressive welfare state where citizens’ rights are safeguarded, and all provinces have equal representation in the federation.
The forum emphasized that, under the Constitution and the Objectives Resolution, state authority can only be exercised through elected representatives.
It recommended aligning provincial government regulations with constitutional principles to ensure executive accountability, parliamentary oversight of relevant ministries, and respect for the Constitution’s mandate.
The declaration stressed the urgent need to restore public confidence in legislative processes through accountability and transparency, strengthen the connection between the executive and the public, and advocate for public issues by effectively utilizing legislative, oversight, and representative powers.
Concerns were raised about the increasing use of derogatory language, fake news, and accusations on social media, which foster divisiveness and hinder constructive dialogue. The declaration called for fostering a culture of decency, civility, and respect for differing opinions.
Key challenges identified included climate change, rapid technological advancements, socio-economic inequalities, and evolving public needs. The declaration stressed the importance of parliamentary diplomacy for advancing regional and international peace and cooperation.
The conference committed to upholding the Constitution as the supreme law, ensuring its effective implementation, resolving ambiguities through dialogue, and countering violations by state and non-state actors.
The forum pledged to prioritize climate change through legislative and policy actions to achieve the goals of Article 9A of the Constitution.
It also committed to enhancing efforts for comprehensive legislation and policies to combat terrorism and ensure citizen safety.
To improve legislative performance, harmonization of rules across all legislative bodies was emphasized.
The establishment of a national association of Public Accounts Committees (PACs) was decided to enhance financial oversight and transparency.
The conference resolved to adopt modern technologies, including artificial intelligence and digitization, for improved parliamentary efficiency. It also stressed collaboration with all societal sectors, including educational institutions, media, civil society, and NGOs, to enhance parliamentary performance and address key issues such as SDGs, youth empowerment, and child rights.
It was recommended to expand the scope of PIPS to provide assistance to AJK and GB assemblies. An association of secretaries of legislative bodies will be established, headquartered in the National Assembly.
The forum welcomed the invitation from the Speaker of the AJK Assembly to hold the 19th Speakers’ Conference in Muzaffarabad. Quarterly meetings will be held to review the progress of the Speakers’ Conference.
Speakers and presiding officers reaffirmed their shared commitment to democratic values, constitutional principles, and the aspirations of the Pakistani people. They resolved to strengthen parliamentary institutions and foster innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity to better serve the nation.
The declaration was unanimously adopted on December 20, 2024.
The two-day conference was held in the Parliament House under the chairmanship of National Assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq.
It was attended by Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazir Tarar, AJK Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar, Balochistan Assembly Speaker Captain (R) Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, GB Assembly Speaker Nazir Ahmad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Babar Khan Swati, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, and Sindh Assembly Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah.
مضمون کا ماخذ : ڈاگ ہاؤس
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