Website for Senate Defense Committee launched
By Asghar Ali Jaffery

ISLAMABAD—The website of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Defense and Defense Production has been formally launched as part of a joint cooperation between USAID and the Committee under USAID’s Legislative Strengthening Project (PLSP).
“The launch of this website is yet another demonstration of our combined efforts to provide to the Pakistani citizens greater knowledge and information about their representative and legislative bodies,” USAID’s Acting Mission Director for Pakistan, Edward Birgells said.
The new website (www.senatedefencecommittee.pk) provides a full array of information such as Member data, Committee reports, news releases and news articles about the activities of the Committee. Additionally, it provides an e-mail portal allowing citizens to directly query the Committee, thus encouraging more public input into its deliberations.
“We believe that sustained use of new information tools, such as this website, will play a critical role in increasing public understanding of and interest in the political process, thereby promoting transparent and participatory governance and fostering democracy in Pakistan,” USAID’s Acting Mission Director Birgells said.
PLSP is also working with two other Senate Committees – the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Kashmir Affairs, and the Standing Committee on Education, Higher Education, Science and Technology – to develop their websites. These three sites are designed as templates which can be used by other committees to establish their sites.
“The update of this website by USAID’s PLSP will help bring the work of the Committee closer to the people we represent,” said Senator Memon in his remarks. “This easily navigable website will enable people to have a better understanding of the work we do and the importance of being fully informed.”
Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by DAI, the $7.8 million Pakistan Legislative Strengthening Project (PLSP) is partnering with Pakistan’s national and provincial legislatures to strengthen parliamentary institutions and processes.
Support for PLSP is part of the $1.5 billion in aid that the U.S. Government is providing to Pakistan over five years – through USAID — to improve education, health, governance, economic growth, and for earthquake reconstruction.