Islamabad, January 19: Mr. Faisal Karim Kundi, Deputy Speaker has been elected as the Patron of Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF), Dr. Donya Aziz, MNA as President YPF, Ms. Farzana Raja, MNA as Vice President YPF, Ms. Anusha Rahman Khan, MNA as Secretary YPF, Ms. Asiya Nasir, MNA as Joint Secretary while Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi, MNA was elected as Treasurer of the YPF.

The Young Parliamentarians Forum, a multi-party Parliamentary forum of young MNAs aged 40 and below, has been formed and facilitated by PILDAT as an effort to organize and develop young leadership across party lines to ensure meaningful participation of young MNAs in the legislation process, to facilitate their capacity building, interaction between MNAs and their regional and international counterparts and to introduce new and creative programmes and ensure active participation to spearhead parliamentary reforms where needed. The YPF was created in the beginning of the 12th National Assembly. It adopted a constitution and conducted elections for the executive committee and office bearers.

In the 13th National Assembly, 27 per cent MNAs are 40 and below out of which 65 MNAs are paid members of the YPF. The YPF General Meeting elected the Executive Committee comprising 4 MNAs from the PPPP, 3 from the PML-N, 2 from the PML and 1 each from MQM, JUI-F and ANP.

The YPF Executive Committee meeting formally invited Mr. Faisal Karim Kundi, MNA and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, to be the Patron of YPF in addition to electing other office bearers.

The YPF is in the process of finalizing its activities calendar for the year 2009-10.