Islamabad: The Senate of Pakistan, in collaboration with the Forum of Federations, along with the participation of the National Assembly, conducted a two-day Knowledge Sharing Session on Strengthening Senate Budgetary Review at Parliament House, Islamabad, convened strategically ahead of the presentation of the Federal Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27.
The initiative seeks to promote the exchange of international experiences, institutional best practices, and comparative parliamentary approaches to budget scrutiny and fiscal oversight, with particular focus on lessons from Germany and their applicability within Pakistan's federal governance framework.
Chairman Senate Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, formally inaugurated the session. Emphasizing the principles of democratic accountability and responsible governance, he stated that public resources belong to the people and not to the rulers, stressing that parliamentary oversight serves as a critical mechanism for safeguarding taxpayers' money and ensuring prudent utilization of national resources. He reiterated the Senate's commitment to strengthening fiscal transparency, evidence-based policymaking, and institutional accountability in the budgetary process.
Participation from Parliamentarians from the both Houses including Senators Abdul Qadir, Rubina Naz, Falak ‘¤aZ, Faisal Jawad, Pervaiz Rasheed, Gurdeep Singh, Shahadat Awan, Zarqa Taimoor, Khalida Ateeb and Senator Jan Muhammad. Members National Assembly included Huma Akhtar Chugtai, Saeed Rafiullah , Sabeen Ghoury and Muhammad Mobeen Arif also participated in the session. Speakers included Mr Asim Khan Goraya, Executive Directorate PIPS, Mr Haider Abbas, DG Finance PIPs and other senior representatives from relevant field.
Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue in his remarks provided an overview of the Senate's evolving role in budget deliberations. He noted that recommendations on the Money Bill are examined clause by clause through a rigorous consultative process and revealed that the acceptance of Senate budget recommendations has increased by 52 percent since 2018. He described this achievement as a significant indicator of the growing relevance, quality, and impact of the Senate's fiscal scrutiny and policy recommendations.
Syed Hasnain Haider, Secretary Senate, who underscored the importance of strengthening parliamentary capacity in public financial management and budgetary accountability.
Including participants, Philip Gonzalez, Senior Director (Asia and the Pacific), Forum of Federations, highlighted the significance of robust legislative oversight in ensuring transparent, inclusive, and accountable budgetary processes. He emphasized the value of international cooperation and knowledge exchange in enhancing parliamentary institutions.
The inaugural proceedings were followed by a substantive session on the State of Pakistan's Economy and Issues in Successive Federal Budgets, facilitated by Dr. Ashfaque Hasan khan, Senior Economist who discussed prevailing economic challenges, fiscal pressures, and structural considerations shaping federal budget formulation.
A dedicated session on the Role of the Senate of Pakistan in the Budget-Making Process was facilitated by Ms. Iffat Murtaza Mustafa, Director General (Research), Senate Secretariat During her presentation, she highlighted several institutional reforms and innovations introduced by the Senate Secretariat to enhance the effectiveness of Senate budget recommendations. She noted that the Secretariat has developed simplified and user-friendly budget proposal proformas for Senators, enabling broader participation and more structured input into the budget review process. The Members Nationals Assembly appreciated this initiative and recommended to incorporate this practice for the members of the National Assembly as well. These proposals are consolidated into Senate recommendations and transmitted to the National Assembly, contributing to the increased acceptance of Senate recommendations in recent years.
The session on Budgetary Oversight - A Parliamentary Perspective was facilitated by Dr. Carsten Sieling, Political Leader and International Governance Expert, who shared comparative insights into legislative budget oversight mechanisms and the role of parliaments in ensuring fiscal discipline and accountability.
The two day proceedings focused extensively on a comparative examination of the German federal budget process Facilitated by Dr. Carsten Sieling, the session provided participants with an overview of Germany's budget formulation and review framework, including the federal budget preparation process in Germany and the role and functions of the Bundestag's Budget Committee
The session featured an interactive discussion and comparative analysis of German and Pakistani budgetary practices, allowing Senators and Senate Secretariat officials to engage directly with international expertise. Participants exchanged views on strengthening committee review processes, enhancing evidence-based budget scrutiny, and improving parliamentary engagement throughout the budget cycle.
The session concluded with an extensive question-and-answer session and interactive dialogue, and made recommendations from both the Houses to improve taxation system, develop incentives in the National Finance Commission for the Provinces and establishment of Joint Budget Office for both the Houses to support legislators in the Budget review
The two-day knowledge-sharing initiative is expected to contribute meaningfully to ongoing efforts aimed at enhancing the Senate's institutional capacity to review, analyze, and provide informed recommendations on the Federal Budget and future fiscal frameworks.