June 14: PILDAT, together with the Parliamentary leadership of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Parliamentary Party in the National Assembly of Pakistan, organised a Briefing Session on Budget 2013-2014 today.

Mr. Shah Mahmood Qureshi, MNA; Deputy Parliamentary Leader PTI in National Assembly, chaired the session. Mr. Nohman Ishtiaq, Public Financial Management Specialist, briefed PTI MNAs on Budget 2013-2014 Numbers and Policy while Mr. Asad Umar, PTI Team Leader on Budget, addressed the parliamentary party on analysis of the budget from the party�s perspective.

Earlier welcoming the PTI MNAs at the Briefing Session, Ms. Aasiya Riaz, Joint Director PILDAT, said that as a non-partisan institute, PILDAT is happy to provide assistance to all parties represented in the Parliament and Provincial Assemblies. She also said that while control over the Federal purse strings is one of the most crucial powers of the National Assembly, it remains an exercise in motion only. She urged MPs to focus on key reforms in strengthening Parliamentary budget process including instituting provisions in rules of National Assembly on pre-budget session and allowing a role for Standing Committees in reviewing draft demands for grants after the presentation of budget.