Youth Parliament of Pakistan
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Youth Parliament Pakistan is a project launched in 2007 by the PILDAT to engage youth in Pakistan in healthy discourse and expose them to the democratic process and practices. Members of Youth Parliament Pakistan are selected for duration of a year at a time. The first batch of Youth Parliament Pakistan was selected in 2007 and from thereon, Youth Parliament has had three batches so far including 2007 batch,[1] 2008-09 batch[2] and 2009-10 batch.[3]
Establishment and facilitation of the Youth Parliament Pakistan is part of PILDAT's focus on youth in the country and youth's awareness education and training in the norms of politics and democracy in the country. PILDAT strongly feels that sustainable democracy and the sustainability of sound democratic institutions in Pakistan is not possible without youth's involvement in the democratic and political process even if this involvement is simply as a citizen or voter.
The Youth Parliament Pakistan project is currently supported by the Royal Danish Embassy, Islamabad in recognition of the importance of young people's involvement in democracy and democratic practices in Pakistan.
Objectives
The specific objectives of Youth Parliament Pakistan are to educate Pakistani Youth about politics and democracy and to demonstrate to them how parliaments are able:
- to do legislation;
- to debate matters of national and international concern;
- to demand accountability from those in government;
- to discuss legislation in committee;
- to change government without recourse to civil disorder;
- to make and enforce their own rules of conduct.
In addition Youth parliament Pakistan serves as a useful forum to voice views of the Youth about a range of national and international issues. The debates in the Youth Parliament Pakistan are meant to not only help the young members in their personal development as a useful citizen, these also serve the purpose of articulating views of the youth on vital issues facing the nation and conveying these to the Government.
Key Features of the Youth Parliament Pakistan
As a model Parliament for young people, the Youth Parliament Pakistan is patterned after the National Assembly of Pakistan although its membership is smaller than that of the National Assembly. Wherever possible, the Youth Parliament of Pakistan follows the rules of procedures as close to the National Assembly of Pakistan as practical. However, practices from other Parliaments are also adopted to expose Pakistani Youth to comparative parliamentary practices.
Membership
The total membership of Youth Parliament is 60. The breakdown of membership is as follows:
The breakdown of the membership is as follows:
| Provinces/Areas | No. of Seats |
|---|---|
| Punjab | 28 |
| Sindh | 12 |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) | 07 |
| Balochistan | 05 |
| Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) | 03 |
| Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) | 02 |
| Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) | 02 |
| Gilgit-Baltistan (NA) | 01 |
| Total Membership | 60[4] |
Youth Parliament Pakistan 2012 Office Bearers
01: Mr. Muhammad Hashim Azeem (YP33-PUNJAB13), Youth Prime Minister / Leader of the House
02: Ms. Sarah Abdul Wadood Khan (YP19-KPK06), Youth Parliament Deputy Speaker
03: Mr. Fahad Mazhar Ali (YP15-KPK02), Youth Leader of the Opposition (Session I to Session III)
04: Mr. Tabraiz Sadiq Marri (YP58-SINDH10), Youth Leader of the Opposition (Session IV to Session V)
05: Mr. Muhammad Zafar Siddique (YP39-PUNJAB19), Youth Minister for Finance, Planning Affairs and Economics
06: Ms. Shaheera Jalil Albasit (YP56-SINDH08), Youth Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence
07: Mr. Muhammad Usama Riaz (YP37-PUNJAB17), Youth Minister for Information
08: Mr. Gohar Zaman (YP25-PUNJAB05), Youth Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication
08: Mr. Amir Khan Kichi (YP30-PUNJAB10), Youth Minister for Interior, Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and FATA
09: Mr. Muhammad Umar Riaz (YP36-PUNJAB16), Youth Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights
10: Mr. Yasir Riaz (YP12-ICT02), Youth Shadow Minister for Finance, Planning Affairs and Economics
11: Mr. Hunain Ali Quadri (YP49-SINDH01), Youth Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence
12: Mr. Muhammad Haseeb Ahsen (YP51-SINDH03), Youth Shadow Minister for Information
13: Mr. Naveed Hassan (YP41-PUNJAB21), Youth Shadow Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication
14: Mr. Jamal Naseer Jamaee (YP50-SINDH02), Youth Shadow Minister for Interior, Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and FATA
15: Mr. Syed Shan Haider (YP20-KPK07), Youth Shadow Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights
16: Ms. Elia Naourz Ali (YP03-BALOCHISTAN01), Youth Chief Whip (Blue party)
17: Ms. Mehreen Syeda (YP29-PUNJAB09), Youth Chief Whip (Green Party)
18: Mr. Ali Raza (YP14-KPK01), Youth Secretary General (Blue Party)
19: Mr. Muhammad Hammad Malik (YP16-KPK03), Youth General Secretary (Green Party), Chairperson Youth Parliament Special Committee on Energy Issues
20: Ms. Yusraa Faaruq (YP13-ICT03), Chairperson Youth Parliament Standing Committee on Finance, Planning Affairs and Economics
21: Mr. Muhammad Taimoor Shah (YP35-PUNJAB15), Chairperson Youth Parliament Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence
22: Ms. Sahar Iqbal (YP35-PUNJAB15), Chairperson Youth Parliament Standing Committee on Information
23: Mr. Omair Najam (YP52-SINDH04), Chairperson Youth Parliament Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication
24: Mr. Touseef Ahmed Abbasi (YP02-AJK02), Chairperson Youth Parliament Standing Committee on Interior, Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and FATA
25: Mr. Salman Khan Shinwari (YP18-KPK05), Chairperson Youth Parliament Standing Committee on Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights
26: Mr. Najeeb Abid Baloch (YP05-BALOCHISTAN03,) Chairperson Youth Parliament Special Committee on Balochistan Issues.[5]
Rules of Procedures and Conduct of Business in the Youth Parliament The Youth Parliament Pakistan Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business are specially drafted learning from the National Assembly of Pakistan Rules and from other Youth Parliaments around the World. Rules of Procedures and Manual of Youth Parliament Pakistan are provided to new members at the time of Orientation after their selection.
Subsistence allowance
There is a limited travel and subsistence allowance for members to attend the sessions of the Youth Parliament.
Youth Parliament Cabinet Youth Parliament Pakistan elects a six member cabinet and a shadow cabinet along with six Standing Committees and a Business Advisory Committee.
Patron, Youth Parliament Pakistan.
Honourable Mr. Faisal Karim Kundi, Deputy Speaker National Assembly of Pakistan is the Patron of Youth Parliament Pakistan.
Secretariat of the Youth Parliament As the project implementer, PILDAT is the Secretariat of the Youth Parliament.
Members’ Political Affiliation There is no bar on the actual political affiliation of the members. Youth Parliament Pakistan has two mock political parties: the Blue Party (Liberal) and the Green Party (Traditional) and members are asked to join either one of the political parties for the purpose of Youth Parliament. Joining one of the parties is obligatory for members. The party with majority of members forms the Youth Government.
Minimum Work Days The Youth Parliament Pakistan meets for at least 30 days at five sessions in a year.
Venue
Sessions of the Youth Parliament Pakistan are held at Islamabad.
References
- ↑ 2007 batch
- ↑ 2008 batch
- ↑ 2009 batch
- ↑ http://youthparliament.pk/memberslist.asp
- ↑ http://www.youthparliament.pk/officebearers.asp