Bilateral Meetings

Important Meetings from January-February 2022

Rapid Assessment Report

In line with the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Parliamentary Taskforces, In January 2022, LEAD for SDGs Localisation Programme Pakistan has conducted a rapid assessment of the taskforces with the aim to know the existing capacity, and identify gaps and challenges to contribute and extend support to mitigate these challenges. Following are the key findings of the rapid assessment report:

Key Finding:

• Low level of engagement on Sustainable Development Goals.
• Role clarity of the provincial taskforces as a whole.
• Lack of secretarial support.
• There is no formal setup of the provincial as well as the national task force, more explicitly the parliamentary task forces are not the statutory committees.
• Communication gap among all the taskforces.
• There is no common platform to share their experiences and learn from each other.
• Include AJK and GB Parliamentary taskforces in the capacity building process.

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Meeting with Pakistan Institutes of Parliamentary Services-PIPS

In January 2022, staff of LEAD for SDGs Localisation in Pakistan Programme and management of Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services have held a meeting to share mutual interests and exploring possibilities of signing an MoU. Both the parties discussed the various options and areas of mutual interest and urged that PIPS and LEAD can work together on the following areas more specifically in the orientation of policy legislation, research, capacity building and training.

The participants were:

1. Muhammad Anwar (Executive Director PIPS)
2. Muhammad Rashid Mahfooz Zaka (Senior Director General-Research & Legislation)
3. Taj Muhammad Deputy Director Capacity Building
4. Anwar Hussain (Project In-charge LEAD for SDGs Localization in Pakistan)
5. Sabeena Gul Coordinator (South West Sub-region Asia UCLG)
6. Nighat Kamdar (Advocacy & Capacity Building Manager LEAD for SDGs Localization in Pakistan.

Conclusion:

• An MoU will be initiated by LEAD for the SDGs Localization project in Pakistan for future collaboration, PIPS will review the MoU which will be signed after consensus.

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Meeting with National Parliamentary Taskforce Office

In February 2022, a meeting was held with Honorable Mr Fatyana, Convener of National Parliamentary Taskforce (NPTF) on SDGs at the NPTF office, Islamabad. The discussion was held around two days’ workshop on capacity building of Parliamentary Taskforces on SDGs localisation and implementation. The following key points were discussed during the meeting,

• The input of the NPTF on concept note, rapid assessment and the programme
• Background, key findings and NPTF input on the Rapid Assessment
• Revised Programme of the two days’ workshop
• Invitation letter of Mr. Fatyana Sab to other Taskforces for nominations
• COVID situation, workshop dates, Venue and availability of Honorable Fatyana Sab.
• Invitations to participants and to the chief guests.
• Mr. Fatyana Sab was confirmed as chief guest for key Note.
• Inviting Mr. Asad Umer (Minister of PD & SIs) for Remarks on day one closing.
• National Assembly Honorable Speaker Mr. Asad Qaiser will be invited as Chief Guest for Closing Remarks.
• Administrative and logistical arrangement of the workshop
• NOC (if required) for the workshop venue in the COVID situation.

Participants:

1. Honourable Mr. Riaz Fayana (Convener National Parliamentary SDGs Taskforce)
2. MR. Ali Sardar (NPSTF Team Member)
3. Ms. Mehreen Mubasher (NPSTF Team Member)
4. Ms. Sadaf Azam (NPSTF Team Member)
5. Mr. Anwar Hussain CEO ADLG
6. Ms. Sabeena Gul (LEAD for SDGs Programme Pakistan)
7. Ms. Nighat Kamdar (LEAD for SDGs Programme Pakistan

Conclusion

• The agenda will be amended as per feedback provided by Mr. Fatyana Sab
• The timings of the workshop will be from 11:00-3:30 tentatively.
• The date of the workshop was decided as 22-23 Feb during the National Assembly Session. NPTF    team will confirm the National Assembly session dates.
• The venue of the event will be Marriott Hotel Islamabad
• The composition of the participants from the Provincial Taskforce including GB and AJK will be:
• Convener of each Taskforce
• Two members of each Taskforce i.e. one from the ruling party and one from the opposition party.
• Provincial Assembly Secretary from each province.
• Representatives of local governments i.e., Ex-Mayors of the large cities e.g. Faisalabad, KPK etc. will be invited.
• Honourable Riaz Fatyana will be invited as Key Note Speaker while Honorable Speaker of the    National Assembly Honorable Speaker will be invited as the Chief Guest for the closing ceremony.
• The activity will be organized from the platform of the National Parliamentary Taskforce in collaboration with LEAD for the SDGs Pakistan Program.
• All letters, i.e., letter for nomination, nominees’ invitation letter, and a chief guest invite will be issued in the name of convener Honorable Mr. Fatyana Sab.

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Meeting with Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights: PCHR

Participants:

1. Mr. Shafiq Chaudry
2. Mr. Anwar Hussain
3. Ms. Nighat Kamdar

In February 2022, a meeting was held with the executive director of PCHR Mr Shafiq Chaudry, where both the parties discussed the areas of mutual interest and collaboration.