Gilani calls for stronger local government system, effective parliamentary oversight

ISLAMABAD, Nov 11 (APP):Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani Wednesday strongly advocated the revival of student unions and the establishment of a robust and empowered local government system, describing them as essential for nurturing future leadership and strengthening democracy.

He observed that the nurseries of leadership at the grassroots level had become dormant and needed to be revived to address the leadership vacuum in the country.

Sharing his own political journey, he said he started his career at the local level and rose to become Prime Minister of Pakistan, serving in various constitutional capacities.

He emphasized that strong local governments at district and tehsil levels were vital for good governance, transparency, accountability and effective utilization of public funds.

He expressed these views while addressing a workshop titled “Strengthening Parliamentary Oversight of Public Expenditure Management”, organized by UNICEF.

Chairman Senate emphasized that transparent, efficient and responsible utilization of public resources was a constitutional responsibility of Parliament and essential for maintaining public trust. He said Parliament’s role must extend beyond budget approval to ensuring that national resources were properly utilized and their benefits reached the people.

He stressed that budgetary allocations alone could not guarantee development outcomes unless funds were released timely, institutions fulfilled their responsibilities and public expenditure translated into tangible improvements in people’s lives. He underscored that every rupee spent from the public exchequer must deliver measurable results in terms of economy, efficiency and effectiveness.

Highlighting Pakistan’s development challenges and limited financial resources, he stressed the need for effective parliamentary oversight of key sectors, including education, health, nutrition, sanitation and social protection.

He said parliamentary committees must ensure that resources reached deserving segments of society and were utilized for their intended purposes. Referring to Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16), he noted that accountable, transparent and effective institutions were fundamental to sustainable development.

He urged Public Accounts Committees to move beyond identifying financial irregularities and examine their underlying causes, including weak planning, internal controls, procurement procedures and project implementation, while recommending institutional reforms and corrective measures.

He also called for prioritizing audit observations on the basis of financial significance, recurring irregularities, systemic weaknesses and their impact on public interest. Emphasizing the need to strengthen parliamentary committees, he highlighted professional support, access to reliable information, coordination with the Office of the Auditor General, capacity-building of members and enhanced analytical capabilities for effective budget scrutiny. He added that parliamentary accountability must remain impartial, evidence-based and constructive to improve institutional performance and public service delivery.

The workshop was also addressed by Speaker Provincial Assembly Punjab Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, Speaker Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Chaudhry Tariq Farooq, Auditor General of Pakistan Maqbool Ahmad Gondal and UNICEF Representative in Pakistan Ms. Pernille Ironside, among other distinguished participants.

Concluding his address, Chairman Senate appreciated UNICEF’s efforts to strengthen parliamentary oversight, transparency and public financial accountability, expressing hope that the workshop would generate practical recommendations to ensure effective utilization of national resources and bring meaningful improvements in the lives of the people.