Pakistan

Parliament of Pakistan

Key Facts

Head of State: President Arif Alvi

Joined the Commonwealth: 1947 (1989)

Capital City (location of Parliament): Islamabad

Unicameral/Bicameral: Bicameral - National Assembly (342), Senate (104)

Further Information:

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CPA UK & Pakistan

Pakistan forms one of CPA UK’s key partnerships, with a strong emphasis on both parliamentary strengthening and diplomacy. CPA UK and Pakistan have regularly engaged on a range of issues in programmes in the UK and Pakistan.

CPA UK have supported the Parliament of Pakistan in enhancing the capabilities of their Members and officials through a number of programmes in the UK, including study visits for officials from the national and provincial assemblies of Pakistan and a bespoke seminar on parliamentary practice and procedure for members and officials from the Senate and National Assembly.

Women’s representation has formed a key part of CPA UK’s engagement with Pakistan. CPA UK has a long-term partnership with the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus and since 2012 have undertaken a number of programmes aimed at enhancing the role and capabilities of women parliamentarians. Themes explored include economic empowerment, maternal health, access to justice, and building a community for change.

The diplomatic relationship remains importance, especially considering the strong people-to-people links that exist between Pakistan and the UK. CPA UK continues to engage closely with the Parliament of Pakistan and also the Provincial Assemblies.

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Our Recent Programmes

Youth Parliament of Pakistan Study Visit to Westminster, July 2023

In July CPA UK hosted twelve members of the Pakistan Youth Parliament for a one-day study visit, aiming to provide a window into political life in the UK parliament and promote youth engagement within the Commonwealth.

The programme included discussion sessions with Members of the UK parliament, who talked the delegation through their own roles and the constitutional architecture of the United Kingdom, and which allowed the delegates to share their own unique perspectives as youth parliamentarians.

Virtual workshop with the Pakistan Women's Parliamentary Caucus, Virtual 25 - 27 May 2021

Twelve national and provincial assembly members joined a parliamentary strengthening workshop with sessions on gender sensitive scrutiny, engaging civil society organisations, ending sexual harassment in the workplace and parliamentary behaviour codes. Find out more about the sessions and delegates in the official programme and more about the learning outcomes in the workshop infographic.

Study Visit by the Women's Parliamentary Caucus, Westminster, 27-31 January 2020

From 27-31 January 2020 CPA UK hosted Members of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus of Pakistan for a programme focused on Women and Gender in Legislation, Scrutiny, and Oversight at the UK Parliament and other locations around London. The delegation, led by WPC Secretary Hon. Munaza Hassan MNA, explored diversity and inclusion issues at different levels of representation, including at the UK Parliament, the Greater London Assembly, borough councils, and the constituency level. The full report is available here.

Pakistan Delegates at CAPAC Regional Workshop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 1-3 August 2019

The Workshop was attended by Chairs, Members and Clerks from 6 Commonwealth Public Accounts Committees in the Asia and South East Asia region. The workshop formed part of CPA UK's work as part of the Commonwealth Partnership for Democracy (CP4D). Please click here for more information on the programme and click here for the official report.

Bilateral Visit and New Members' Induction Programme, Islamabad and Lahore, 18-22 February 2019

From 18-22 February 2019, a CPA UK parliamentary delegation visited Pakistan to engage in a series of diplomatic meetings as well as facilitate an induction workshop for newly-elected members of the National Assembly. Meetings with key ministers and officials allowed the delegates to develop a deeper understanding of the changing political and parliamentary landscape in the country, following the general elections in July 2018. The two-day induction focused on various topics, including parliamentary standards and ethics, legislative scrutiny, and committee oversight.

The programme offered a great opportunity for exchange of best practices and knowledge between parliamentarians across both legislatures. CPA UK looks forward to building relations between UK and Pakistan through further collaboration and activities with the National Assembly of Pakistan.