Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) Hosts Two-Day Post Legislative Scrutiny Workshop
Islamabad; The Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) of the National Assembly of Pakistan, under the leadership of its President Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, MNA organized a two-day Post-Legislative Scrutiny (PLS) workshop in collaboration with Shaoor Foundation for Education and Awareness (SFEA). The event saw active participation from Members of the National Assembly, Members of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Journalists, and members of the civil society, highlighting the importance of reviewing laws after their enactment to ensure they remain effective, relevant, and properly implemented.
President YPF Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, MNA warmly welcomed the distinguished participants and commended the establishment of YPF chapters across all Provincial and Legislative Assemblies of Pakistan, in line with the vision of the Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. She emphasized that 64% of Pakistan’s population is under the age of 45 and underscored the critical role of Young Parliamentarians in advancing the rights of marginalized groups, particularly women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and minority communities. She encouraged Young Parliamentarians to collaborate in reviewing and modernizing legislation to meet the needs of contemporary society. She also proposed the formation of issue-specific working groups to draft and recommend reforms within three months. Furthermore, she reaffirmed YPF’s commitment to empowering youth and promoting their meaningful participation in the legislative process in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and across Pakistan.
Special Secretary (SI) of the National Assembly Secretariat, Syed Shamoon Hashmi highlighted key historical and legislative milestones, including the French Revolution and the abolition of Sati in 1856, underscoring how transformative legislation can drive societal progress. He emphasized the critical role of the National Assembly in shaping laws that uphold fundamental rights and stressed the continuing need for legal reforms that reflect the evolving needs of society. Citing Article 9 of the Constitution, he pointed to the essential nature of protecting life and personal liberty as the cornerstone of a just society. He also underlined the importance of securing freedoms for each generation and ensuring that these rights are not only preserved but continually expanded. He spoke about the need for inclusive educational policies, merit-based systems of advancement, and architectural and skills development programs to empower the youth. Furthermore, he called attention to the importance of post-legislative scrutiny of laws, especially those impacting specific communities such as Hindus, and stressed the need for equitable representation of all constituencies in governance.
Parliamentary Expert, Mr. Zafarullah Khan spoke about the important role of youth in shaping the legislative process. He emphasized that young people, who make up a large portion of the population, should actively engage in parliament and civic life. Mr. Zafarullah Khan stressed the need to evaluate laws through a human rights lens to create a fair and just society. He discussed how Pakistan’s legal system has evolved from colonial-era laws like the Land Acquisition Act to more recent legislation on education, Access to Information, and Women’s rights. He also emphasized the role of institutions like the National Commission for Human Rights in protecting freedoms and ensuring accountability. He called for a stronger focus on issues such as climate change, child protection, and the rights of senior citizens in future legal reforms.
During the interactive session titled “Media and Parliament United for Human Rights and Democratic Progress”, a distinguished panel of journalists and esteemed participants called for concrete reforms to strengthen the legislative process. They emphasized the urgent need to establish post-legislative scrutiny committees within Parliament, urged enhanced collaboration between lawmakers and stakeholders including media and civil society, and advocated for greater access to legislative documents for journalists. The panel further underscored the importance of instituting a formal mechanism for post-legislative scrutiny, improving oversight of the implementation of enacted laws, transitioning from incident-driven to proactive policy planning, and incorporating stakeholder input—particularly from civil society and the media—throughout the legislative process to ensure inclusive and effective decision-making.
The Workshop was attended by MNAs Nawabzada Mir Jamal Khan Raisani, Mr. Muhammad Mobeen Arif, Raja Osama Sarwar, Mr. Amjad Ali Khan, Ms. Kiran Imran Dar, Ms. Shaista Khan Jadoon, Mr. Ammar Ahmad Khan Leghari, Mr. Muhammad Miqdad Ali Khan, and Mr. Danyal Chaudhary.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
