Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani Advocates for Student Unions and Local Government

What Happened

Addressing a workshop titled “Strengthening Parliamentary Oversight of Public Expenditure Management” organized by UNICEF on Wednesday, Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani advocated for the following:

• The revival of student unions to nurture future leadership and strengthen democracy [1, 2, 3].
• The establishment of an empowered local government system at district and tehsil levels to improve governance, transparency, and accountability [1, 2, 3].
• Enhanced parliamentary oversight of public resources to ensure they reach the people and are used for their intended purposes [2].

Gilani stated that grassroots leadership nurseries have become dormant and must be revived to address a leadership vacuum in Pakistan [1, 2, 3]. He noted that his own political career began at the local level before he served as Prime Minister [1, 2, 3].

Regarding public expenditure, the Chairman emphasized that Parliament has a constitutional responsibility to ensure transparent and efficient use of resources [2]. He argued that budgetary allocations alone do not guarantee development unless funds are released on time and institutions fulfill their duties [2]. He stressed that every rupee spent from the public exchequer must deliver measurable results in terms of efficiency and effectiveness [2].

Gilani also proposed several improvements for parliamentary oversight:

• Parliamentary committees should oversee key sectors including health, education, nutrition, sanitation, and social protection [2].
• Public Accounts Committees should examine the underlying causes of financial irregularities, such as weak planning, procurement procedures, and project implementation, rather than just identifying errors [2].
• Audit observations should be prioritized based on financial significance, systemic weaknesses, and impact on public interest [2].
• Parliamentary committees require professional support, access to reliable information, and better coordination with the Office of the Auditor General [2].

The workshop included several other participants, including Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan (Speaker of the Punjab Provincial Assembly), Prof. Ahsan Iqbal (Federal Minister for Planning and Development), Chaudhry Tariq Farooq (Speaker of the AJK Legislative Assembly), Maqbool Ahmad Gondal (Auditor General of Pakistan), and Pernille Ironside (UNICEF Representative in Pakistan) [2].