Organization: PILDAT
Project: Performance monitoring of National Assembly of Pakistan from citizens perspective (sample)
Country: Pakistan
Government Level: National & provincial parliaments

Overview: PILDAT (www.pildat.org) uses the framework of International Parliamentary Performance Evaluation developed by Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). PILDAT compiles a Score Card based on evaluation framework in which a Group of MPs and a mix of citizens groups evaluate performance of the Assemblies. Performance evaluation is carried out from citizens’ perspective as a collaborative effort and as an initiative to strengthen the bond between the citizens and the legislatures and assist legislatures to undertake required reform processes.

Background: The purpose of the evaluation is to make our Assemblies more effective, responsive and accountable institutions for the people. Performance Evaluation helps identify weak and strong points of the legislatures which in turn help the Assemblies, their members, leadership and the Secretariats, to set in a reform process to address the weaknesses and acknowledge the strengths. The effort is not meant to malign, defame or even criticise Pakistan’s legislatures but is undertaken as a collaborative effort involving key stakeholders including MPs. The key objective is to provide citizen access to Assemblies’ performance and strengthen the bond between the citizens and their legislatures and assist the institutions to further improve and strengthen participatory, representative democracy.

The objective of the performance monitoring is also to engage citizens with Parliaments and to facilitate them to put a premium on Parliamentary performance. Parliament should become more open, accessible and sensitive to public views and assessments and Required Reform process is generated. 

Implementation: The Performance Evaluation of Assemblies is based on the Score card developed by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). After carrying out a qualitative analysis, scores are assigned based on the value judgment of an Evaluation Group consisting of multi-party members of the Assembly being evaluated, journalists who cover the proceedings of an Assembly and analysts who keep their eyes on the performance of the Assembly.

Questions and Topics in the Evaluation Framework

The IPU defines a democratic Legislature as the one that is:

• Representative
• Transparent
•  Accessible
• Accountable
• Effective

The Evaluation Framework consists of a set of questions which cover one aspect of a democratic legislature. The method of evaluation involves answering the questions which relates to the nature and work of the legislature concerned. These questions, 44 in total and called sub-areas, are grouped under the following six (6) topics, also called Areas.

1. The Representativeness of the Legislature
2. Legislative Oversight over the Executive
3. Legislative Capacity
4. The Transparency and Accessibility of the Legislature
5. The Accountability of the Legislature
6. The Legislature’s Involvement in International Policy

Evaluation is thus based on the value judgments of how a legislature measures against each of these criteria. It is to be expected that a legislature may not attain the highest score for every question since any legislature, like democracy, can always be strengthened.

The evaluators assign a score on a scale of 1-5 against each question; 1 representing the minimum score and 5 representing the maximum. PILDAT averages the scores assigned by the Evaluation Group and converts the scores in percentages for better understanding.

Reports developed are produced and published and disseminated to legislative leadership, MPs, Government and Media through roundtable discussions. Reports are also made available online at PILDAT website. 

Critical Issues & Achievements: 

1.  Collaborative approach with legislatures and legislators has helped in advancing both an objective assessment as well as create a buy-in required reforms.
2. As it is an indigenous initiative carried out by Citizens, it is received well. It is understood that its not an effort meant to malign or defame Pakistan’s legislatures.
3. Involvement of multi-party MPs and legislative staff also results in a greater clarity on required reforms.
4. Through the assessment reports, Citizens understand the process and performance of Assemblies in a better way.
5. Since PILDAT also assists the Assemblies in building their capabilities, it is understood that PILDAT has no partisan or donor-driven agenda.
6. MPs Gain knowledge.
7. Media places a more focussed, objective and fact-based spotlight on Parliament based on PILDAT’s analysis and assessment.
8. Opens and widens fact-based public discourse.
9. Clear cut and substantive reforms have taken place through these assessment reports in Parliament and Provincial Assemblies.

Implementing Partners: No direct partners; data and support received from Legislative Secretariats; MPs both at National and Provincial Assemblies join hands in the effort informally

Contacts:
Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob
President
PILDAT
E-mail: [email protected]
Islamabad Office: No. 7, 9th Avenue, F-8/1, Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: (+92-51) 111 123 345 | Fax: (+92-51) 226 3078
Lahore Office: 45-A, 2nd Floor, Sector XX, Phase III, Khayaban-e-Iqbal, DHA, Lahore, Pakistan 
Tel: (+92-42) 111 123 345 | Fax: (+92-42) 3569 3896
Web: http://www.pildat.org

Additional Resources: 
5 Years of the 13th National Assembly of Pakistan
Presentation on Evaluation of the National Assembly of Pakistan by Faisal Karim Kundi,Deputy Speaker, National Assembly of Pakistan. October 2009.