Country’s first AI-enabled parliamentary system introduced; digitisation has improved legislation and administrative affairs, says Speaker in interaction with students
Islamabad (Izhar Khan Niazi): National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has said that students from Balochistan will be provided with more internship opportunities in the National Assembly on a priority basis, adding that equipping young people with education, research and modern technology is a guarantee of national development.
He said that the country’s first artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled parliamentary system had been introduced in the National Assembly, through which legislation, parliamentary research, administrative affairs and access to information were being modernised.
He made these remarks on Thursday while meeting a delegation of students participating in the five-day Digital Balochistan AI Launchpad Bootcamp at Parliament House. Federal Secretary for Inter-Provincial Coordination Mohiuddin Ahmad Wani was also present on the occasion.
Welcoming the students, the National Assembly Speaker said training courses were currently being conducted under the National Assembly’s internship programme for students from 21 universities across the country, and maximum opportunities would be provided to young people from Balochistan under the programme.
He said providing equal opportunities to young people was an urgent need of the time in order to develop their skills and capabilities.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, referring to his longstanding association with Balochistan, said that Balochistan was an extremely important province of Pakistan and that the Reko Diq project had the potential to transform the province’s economic future. He said Balochistan remained among his top priorities.
He urged the students to develop the habit of continuous reading and learning. Citing his own example, he said that after being elected as a Member of the National Assembly for the first time in 2002, he studied the Constitution of Pakistan and the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly in detail, which helped him better understand parliamentary affairs.
The Speaker said that a designated quota for all provinces existed for jobs in the National Assembly, while employment opportunities were also being provided to persons with disabilities. He said steps were also being taken to increase women’s representation to 30 percent.
Briefing the students on the use of artificial intelligence and modern digital technology in the National Assembly, he said parliamentary affairs were being fully integrated into a digital system. Under the initiative, agendas, bills, reports, committee documents and other records were being provided electronically.
He said the provision of digital tablets to Members of the National Assembly represented a major step towards a paperless parliamentary system, resulting in reduced costs and greater efficiency in administrative affairs.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said artificial intelligence was proving helpful in parliamentary research, legislation, post-legislation review, access to information and improving administrative efficiency. However, he stressed that AI was not a replacement for human intelligence and decision-making but a supporting technology.
On the occasion, Tech Valley Pakistan Chief Executive Officer Umar Farooq briefed the participants on the objectives of the Digital Balochistan AI Launchpad Bootcamp. The students appreciated the National Assembly’s initiatives for digitalisation and the promotion of artificial intelligence and also highlighted the challenges faced by students from Balochistan.
The National Assembly Speaker assured the students that their concerns would be brought before the relevant authorities. He appreciated the joint efforts of the Government of Balochistan, Tech Valley Pakistan, the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination, the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, and the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan.
He said such programmes would play an important role in introducing young people to modern technology and strengthening their contribution to national development.