ISLAMABAD: Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar MNA has underscored the critical role of young parliamentarians in advancing the rights of marginalised groups, particularly women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities and minority communities.

Ms Nosheen, who is also president of Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF), encouraged them to collaborate in reviewing and modernising legislation to meet the needs of contemporary society. She also proposed the formation of issue-specific working groups to draft and recommend reforms within three months. Furthermore, she reaffirmed YPF’s commitment to empowering youth and promoting their meaningful participation in the legislative process.

She expressed these views in a two-day Post-Legislative Scrutiny (PLS) workshop in collaboration with Shaoor Foundation for Education and Awareness (SFEA).She emphasised that 64pc of Pakistan’s population is under the age of 45 and so they should play their roles. The event saw active participation from members of the National Assembly and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, journalists and members of the civil society. highlighting the importance of reviewing laws after their enactment to ensure they remain effective, relevant and properly implemented.

Special Secretary of the National Assembly Secretariat Syed Shamoon Hashmi highlighted key historical and legislative milestones, including the French Revolution and the abolition of Sati in 1856, underscoring how transformative legislation can drive societal progress. He emphasised the critical role of the National Assembly in shaping laws that uphold fundamental rights and stressed the continuing need for legal reforms that reflect the evolving needs of society.

Parliamentary expert Zafarullah Khan spoke about the important role of youth in shaping the legislative process. He emphasised that young people, who make up a large portion of the population, should actively engage in parliament and civic life.

Mr Khan stressed the need to evaluate laws through a human rights lens to create a fair and just society. He discussed how Pakistan’s legal system had evolved from colonial-era laws like the Land Acquisition Act to more recent legislation on education, Access to Information, and women rights.

During the interactive session titled ‘Media and Parliament United for Human Rights and Democratic Progress’, a distinguished panel of journalists and esteemed participants called for concrete reforms to strengthen the legislative process. They emphasised the urgent need to establish post-legislative scrutiny committees within the parliament, urged enhanced collaboration between lawmakers and stakeholders including media and civil society, and advocated for greater access to legislative documents for journalists.

Those who attended the event included MNAs Nawabzada Mir Jamal Khan Raisani, Mohammad Mobeen Arif, Raja Osama Sarwar, Amjad Ali Khan, Kiran Imran Dar, Shaista Khan Jadoon, Ammar Ahmad Khan Leghari, Mohammad Miqdad Ali Khan and Danyal Chaudhary.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2025