Islamabad, A meeting of the Board of Governors of the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) was held in the PIPS Conference Hall under the chairmanship of the President of the Board, Chairman Senate Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani. The Board thoroughly reviewed and unanimously approved the PIPS budget for the fiscal year 2025–26.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah, Speaker of the Balochistan Provincial Assembly Abdul Khaliq Khan, speaker of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Assembly Babar Saleem Swati, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Chaudhry Latif Akbar, Senator Shahzaib Durrani, Senator Ashraf Ali Jatoi, Member of the National Assembly Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, and MNA Zartaj Gul. Additionally, Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, Speaker of the Sindh Assembly Syed Awais Qadir Shah, and Senator Syed Ali Zafar participated via video conference. Senate Secretary Syed Hasnain Haider and PIPS Executive Director Asim Goraya were also present.
The President of the Board of Governors, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, welcomed the participants at the start of the meeting. He appreciated the important role and services of both past and present board members who provided technical and strategic guidance to the institution. He expressed confidence that with the presence of experienced legislators in the board, PIPS would continue to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities effectively.
Chairman Gilani stated that the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services is a leading institution in the country providing professional training, research, and support for parliamentary strengthening to members of parliament, secretariats, provincial assemblies, and related institutions. He praised the recent performance of the institution, stating that over the past six months, the Executive Director and his team have delivered remarkable results. During this period, more than 24 training and awareness programs were held across the country, attended by 580 esteemed parliamentarians and 373 secretariat officers. Additionally, the institute produced 70 research reports and two books. Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed with the National School of Public Policy and the Civil Services Academy. A total of 777 students, interns, experts, and civil servants participated in PIPS activities.
Speaking on financial matters, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani shared that the institute has proposed a 33% increase in the budget estimates for the fiscal year 2025–26. He explained that the main reason for this increase is the relocation of 24 employees to PIPS Islamabad, following a decision made by the Board in July 2024. This has resulted in a 20% increase in staff at the Islamabad office. These 24 employees were previously serving in various provincial assemblies.
In conclusion, Chairman Gilani directed the Executive Director of PIPS to present the agenda item regarding budget approval to the Board. Executive Director Asim Goraya provided detailed insights on the budget, stating that the PIPS budget for FY 2024–25 was PKR 513.4 million, of which one-third (PKR 171.1 million) was provided by the Senate, and two-thirds (PKR 342.3 million) by the National Assembly. Additionally, provincial assemblies contributed PKR 40 million, with each contributing PKR 10 million. He also briefed the board on the proposed budget for FY 2025–26.
PIPS Board of Governors unanimously approved budget of Rs 683.4 million for financial year 2025-26 with one third Rs 227.8 million as Senate contribution and Rs 455.6 million as the National Assembly contribution.
The proposed budget was unanimously approved by the members of the Board of Governors. The members commended the performance, utility, and scope of the institute and recommended its further expansion. In response, Chairman Senate and President of the Board of Governors Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani asked the board members to submit their recommendations in writing so that they may be effectively implemented.
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.
