KARACHI, Oct 21: A two-member team of consultants from Development Alternatives, Inc. which is working for strengthening National and Provincial assemblies in Pakistan on Thursday called on Sindh Assembly Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah.

The Speaker briefed the team members, Project Director Eleanor Valentine and Deputy Project Director David Aasin, about priority areas of the Sindh assembly.

After the meeting, the DAI team was taken for a round to different sections of the assembly, including its secretariat, library, press gallery, visitor’s gallery, assembly hall and other offices.

Later talking to Dawn, Mr Shah said they had requested assistance to develop a plan for automating function. The DAI had agreed to help the assembly develop a record-keeping plan and provide the secretariat with hard and soft archiving and record keeping options to improve storage of legislative records.

Another priority area was websites improvements, enable live telecast of parliamentary proceedings, improved law making to help members and staff improve their skills and to provide practical training through demand–driven assistance that focuses on actual policy issues.

In reply to a question, Mr Shah said that the DAI were also helping in setting up Pakistan Institute of Legislature Development in Islamabad to hold training programmes and seminars for legislators.

Another field for development was to update the library with computerized programme so that members could have access for going through old record.

He said that soon a steering committee comprising members from PML, MQM, PPP and other active groups would be formed.

This committee would meet every month to determine the priorities, and identify needs and capacity gaps in conducting legislative business, make recommendations on improving representation, law making, over sight and secretariat support functions through the project.