Islamabad, February 10; With the avowed goal of strengthening the bond between the citizens and the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, PILDAT facilitated the formation of a Steering Committee comprising Punjab MPAs, academia, news media and civil society representatives. The Steering Committee, which held its first meeting in Lahore on February 09, 2010 is chaired by Honourable Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, MPA; Deputy Speaker Provincial Assembly of the Punjab.

Other members of the Steering Committee who participated in the meeting included Mr. Ali Haider Noor Khan Niazi, MPA (MMA); Dr. Asma Mamdoot, MPA (PML-F); Dr. Ayesha Javed, MPA (PML); Mr. Ijaz Ahmed Khan, MPA (PML-N); Mr. Khalil Tahir Sindhu, MPA (PML-N); Mr. Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmad, MPA (PML-N); Mr. Muhammad Mohsin Khan Leghari, MPA (PML); Mr. Muhammad Sana Ullah Khan Masti Khel, MPA (PML-N); Dr. Musarrat Hassan, MPA (PPPP); Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan, MPA (PML-N); Rai Safdar Abbas Bhatti, MPA (PPPP); Dr. Tahir Ali Javed, MPA (PML); Malik Aftab Maqbool Joiya, Special Secretary, Provincial Assembly of the Punjab Assembly; Mr. Inayat Ullah Lak, Director General, Parliamentary Affairs and Research, Provincial Assembly of the Punjab; Mr. Amjad Mehmood, Senior Reporter Dawn; Mr. Jalil Hasan Akhtar, Senior Correspondent, Business Recorder; Mr. Sohail Warraich, Anchor Person, Geo TV; Mrs. Saira Malik, Head of Political Science Department, Kinnaird College, Lahore; Mr. Shamshad Ahmad, Former Foreign Secretary; Syed Ali Raza Shah, Advocate High Court, Lahore; Mr. Ahmed Bial Mehboob, Executive Director, PILDAT and Ms. Aasiya Riaz, Joint Director, PILDAT.

Ms. Aasiya Riaz, Joint Director PILDAT presented an overview of the first year of the 15th Provincial Assembly of the Punjab highlighting areas for reform after which the members held detailed discussion and offered reform proposals. Synthesising the discussion, Honourable Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, MPA; Deputy Speaker Provincial Assembly of the Punjab said that it was heartening to note that there existed a near-unanimity on the need for reform as well as on ideas for reform not only within the Punjab Assembly and MPAs representing various political backgrounds but also amongst the media and the civil-society. He appreciated the support and facilitation provided by PILDAT as an indigenous citizens initiative which will be useful in instituting the reforms into firm policies.