PILDAT > Youth Parliament Pakistan

A. Youth Parliament is a project conceived and executed by PILDAT under which Pakistanis between the ages of 18-29 years have been invited to become members of the Youth Parliament. Youth Parliament has a total of 60 members selected from across Pakistan on the basis of their Expression of Interest Form and interviews by a Steering Committee.

Q. How will the Youth Parliament project help Youth?

A. The Youth Parliament project is an initiative to engage Pakistani youth in a healthy discourse and expose them to democratic process and practices. The Youth Parliament will be an avenue for young Pakistanis to inculcate democratic culture and spirit of tolerance for others views among them. Additionally, participation in Youth Parliament will groom them for a career in politics, if they so wish, or just to expose them to better understand the role of politics and democratic decision-making in the country. The project will allow the youth to express their views on a number of national, international, regional and local issues. This will help the society to better understand the concerns of the youth.

Q. Who is executing and supporting the Youth Parliament project?

A. Youth Parliament project has been conceived and is being executed by Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency - PILDAT which is an independent, non profit and non partisan research and training institution dedicated to strengthening democracy and democratic institutions in Pakistan. PILDAT is serving as the secretariat of Youth Parliament. PILDAT has the cooperation of Ministry of Youth Affairs, Government of Pakistan in executing the project. The project is supported by the Global Opportunities Fund of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Germany.

Q. Is there a stipend or salary for members of Youth Parliament?

A. Youth Parliament is a membership-based project. It is not an employment or internship opportunity for Youth; therefore, there is no salary to be paid to those who are selected as members of the Youth Parliament. However, there will be a limited travel and subsistence allowance for members to attend the sessions of the Youth Parliament.

Q. How can I apply for membership to Youth Parliament?

A. Advertisement for Expression of Interests for membership will be placed in a leading English and Urdu Daily newspaper few months prior to the start of the term in January. Youth are encouraged to look out for the Expression of Interest advertisements in the newspapers around October.

Q. What are the selection criteria for membership of Youth Parliament?

A. All Pakistani citizens who were 18 years of age and less than 29 years of age on October 01, 2006 were eligible to apply for membership of Youth Parliament. No bar has been placed on educational qualification for membership. However Urdu comprehension, writing and reading was declared necessary for applying for membership of Youth Parliament. Any citizen with a criminal record was not eligible to apply for membership of Youth Parliament. Aspiring members also needed to make a commitment to be part of all sessions of the Youth Parliament.

Q. Can Government Employees apply for membership of Youth Parliament?

A. Yes; all Pakistanis within the age of 18-29 years were eligible to apply for membership of Youth Parliament. Government and other employees, however, were required to submit a No Objection Certificate signed by their competent authority, alongside Expression of Interest Form. Those employed also needed to specifically mention that they will be in a position to devote complete time to the Youth Parliament sessions and related activities if selected for membership.

Q. What is Youth Parliament Steering Committee and what are its functions?

A. Youth Parliament Steering Committee has been formed by PILDAT to oversee the selection process and effective functioning of the Youth Parliament project. The Steering Committee comprises 8 persons including a representative of PILDAT and a representative of the Ministry of Youth Affairs among others. Members of the Steering Committee have been involved in conducting interviews and finalising selection for membership of Youth Parliament. Selection made by Steering Committee is to be final.

Q. What will be the process and venue of interviews for selection?

A. Selection Process for membership will be two-tiered. At the first tier, Expression of Interest Forms will be evaluated and candidates will be short listed for interview. Only those candidates will be invited for interview who will be short listed in the first round of selection. Interviews will be conducted mainly at Islamabad; however, given the number of short listed candidates from one region, interviews can also be conducted at provincial capitals. However, the venue of interviews will be solely on the discretion of PILDAT.

Q. How is the Youth Parliament structured?

A. As a model Parliament for young people the Youth Parliament Pakistan is generally patterned after the National Assembly of Pakistan although its membership is smaller than that of the National Assembly. Wherever possible, the Youth Parliament Pakistan follows the rules of procedures as close to the National Assembly as practical. However better practices from other Parliaments are adopted to expose Pakistani youth to better parliamentary practices.

Q. Does Youth Parliament have its own Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business?

A. The Youth Parliament Pakistan has its own rules of Procedure and Conduct of business drafted learning from the National assembly Rules and from other youth parliaments around the world.

Q. How often does the Youth Parliament Pakistan meet?

A. The Youth Parliament Pakistan meets for a minimum of 30 days at 6 sessions during its one year term

Q. What is the venue of Youth Parliament Pakistan?

A. The sessions of the Youth Parliament Pakistan are held at a local hotel.

Q. What will be the key functions of the Youth Parliament Pakistan?

A. Like other Parliaments, the members of Youth Parliament Pakistan will carry out functions such as debate on important national and international issues, legislation, oversight of the executive, prepare policies etc,

Q. How many political parties are there at Youth Parliament Pakistan?

A. There are two political parties-The Blue Party and the green party with their own distinct party planks. Joining either one of the parties is obligatory for members.

Q. Will there be any special meetings or events at the sessions of Youth Parliament Pakistan?

A. Special Events and Meetings are arranged during the sessions of the Youth Parliament Pakistan such as meetings with distinguished personalities including the Prime Minister of Pakistan, political leadership, Members of Parliament etc. Distinguished guests are also invited to address Youth Parliament sessions on issues coinciding with the topics of debate at each session.

Q. Can I take leave during the Youth Parliament Sessions?

A. Members can avail up to a maximum of 5 days leave during the entire one-year term of Youth Parliament only after submitting a leave application along with a proof for the reason of leave. Members risk losing their seats if they are absent for more than the number of days allowed.

Q. Can visitors observe the proceedings of the Youth Parliament Pakistan sessions?

A. The Youth Parliament Pakistan has a Visitors Gallery where guests and any visitors are welcome to observe the proceedings of the plenary sessions.