Pakistan parliament, now in the works, got huge endorsement for live telecasting of proceedings of the House at the concluding session of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference here on Tuesday.
MNA Kashmala Tariq supported the venture saying that all channels must get the opportunity to telecast live proceedings, not just the state owned ones, because it would open legislatures to the public.
As regards poverty alleviation the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) MNA suggested that the government should first work on two sectors such as health and education that would bring meaning to the new Women Protection Act. She argued that women in the rural areas needed empowerment in the context of UN millennium development goals.
MNA M P Bhandara made the point for transparency of working the parliamentary system. He said government officials often thwart parliament work by withholding information even from lawmakers. The prevailing practice hampered good governance.
Earlier, state education minister Shirin Taherkheli also supported TV live casting from the Parliament. Because it would enable the public to see elected representatives at work as well as strengthen oversight and law making functions of the Parliament. She said that as many as 80 countries of the world permit some form of broadcasting.
On this subject Baba Saheb Kupekar, Speaker of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, informed the meeting that the Indian government had started a new channel called Lok Sabha TV.
An interesting fact came to light from the statement of Indian representative who said that parliamentarians were provided laptops. As for good governance the leader of the Indian delegation Rahman Khan informed the conference that the Freedom of Information Law in India had given great powers to the citizens, who could seek any information from any quarter on payment of Rs 10 only.
Another speaker from India claimed in his paper that his country was working towards 'making all government services accessible to the common man in his locality throughout his life through a one-stop-shop integrated delivery system.' Sri Lankan Speaker Lokubandara pleaded for bringing in 'e-democracy' to 'eradicate, assets and approve poverty eradication policies in 'remote rural areas and bring better understanding about the needs of the poor.'
Bangladesh Parliament's secretary supported that draft Bills should be put in Internet to gauge public reaction to the proposed law. In his summing up speech at the concluding session Senate deputy Chairman Jan Mohammad Jamali spoke of the role of budget committees to ensure that national allocations matched MDG plans and commitments.
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