PESHAWAR: In a significant move toward advancing inter-provincial cooperation and institutional transparency, the Speaker of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Babar Saleem Swati, hosted a high-level meeting at the Assembly Secretariat with the Provincial Ombudspersons for Protection against Harassment at the Workplace.
The distinguished delegation included Dr. Najma Afzal Khan (Ombudsperson, Punjab), Barrister Rabab Mehdi (Ombudsperson, KP), and Muhammad Akhtar Hussain (Deputy Director Admin). KP Assembly Secretary Syed Wiqar Shah and other senior legislative officers were also in attendance.
The core discussions centered on:
- Collaborative Governance: Strengthening institutional partnerships and enhancing inter-provincial coordination to optimize public service delivery.
- Legislative and Digital Reforms: Speaker Swati briefed the delegation on recent reforms within the Assemblyโs Rules of Procedure and the Privileges Act, alongside the ongoing transition toward paperless, digital governance. The visitors commended these initiatives as vital steps toward complete institutional transparency.
- Strategic Initiatives: The forum reviewed the active Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the KP Assembly and the KP Ombudsperson Secretariat, while also finalizing preparations for the upcoming Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Conference.
National Conference Proposed a major highlight of the meeting was Speaker Babar Saleem Swatiโs proposal to host a comprehensive National Ombudspersons’ Conference at the KP Assembly. Designed to facilitate a nationwide dialogue and exchange best administrative practices, the initiative was warmly welcomed and endorsed by both Ombudspersons.
Following the fruitful discussions, the delegation toured various sections of the Assembly Secretariat. Concluding the visit, Speaker Swati presented a commemorative shield to Dr. Najma Afzal Khan in recognition of her exemplary public services. The meeting ended with a renewed, collective pledge to champion good governance and robust inter-institutional synergy across Pakistan.
