40 new committees formed in the National Assembly

ISLAMABAD: Following the presentation of the budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, the government announced the establishment of 40 new standing committees within the National Assembly (NA) on Wednesday.

Standing committees are tasked with monitoring the effectiveness of government policies, overseeing government expenditure, and addressing specific national issues. They actively observe the effectiveness of policies, monitor how money is being spent, and address specific national issues.

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Among the newly formed committees is the Standing Committee on Aviation, comprised of 19 members. The committee has the responsibility of addressing issues within the aviation sector of the country, such as infrastructure development, safety regulations, and industry reforms.

Similarly, the Cabinet Secretariat committee is made up of 18 members. The committee is tasked with helping different parts of the government work together better and make decisions faster.

The standing committees on Climate Change and Trade each consists of 19 and 20 people respectively. The two committees are in charge of dealing with environmental issues and improving international trade relationships.

Meanwhile, the Public Accounts committee is made up of 21 members from the parliament and the Finance Minister. The committee’s job is to make sure the government’s finances are transparent and that there are strong systems in place to hold people “accountable”.

The committee includes representatives from various political parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

Other committees include communications, defense, energy, finance, foreign affairs, and human rights, each tasked with addressing specific issues.

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The committee on information, in particular, is tasked with promoting “transparency” in information dissemination.