Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza and the visiting US Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Tara Sonenshine joined by US Ambassador Cameron Munter Wednesday. inaugurated the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Service (PIPS) here. PIPS will be housed in a $11.5 million facility built and furnished by the US government and will serve as an independent research and training center for all of Pakistan’s legislative bodies.
“This building is a gift from the American people,” said Ambassador Munter in remarks at the ceremony. “It is an expression of our deep partnership and commitment to democracy and the people of Pakistan.”
The four-floor, 55,000 sq. ft. facility houses state-of-the-art computer systems, offices, seminar rooms, a library, and an auditorium. The institute will support professional development and orientation programs for parliamentarians and staff and will provide data collection and research tools to help parliamentarians better serve the people with effective public policy.
