Karachi, January 12, 2010 - The Sindh Provincial Assembly today launched its first-ever Strategic Plan which was developed with the support of the U.S. government.

In early 2009, members of the Sindh legislature convened with the two national and three other provincial Assemblies, and identified implementing a Strategic Plan as a top priority. The meeting was sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), as part of its Pakistan Legislative Strengthening Program (PLSP).

At the request of the Sindh assembly, USAID trained legislators and professional staff in strategic planning, presented comparative strategies from other countries around the world, and provided advice on the makeup of a committee to draft the plan.

With a three-year Strategic Plan supported and approved by all political parties, the Assembly can visualize its goals and objectives, and assure adequate budgetary and staffing resources are allocated to realize these objectives.

"Our mission is to become an effective Assembly, protecting the citizens' rights and working for providing them better quality of life," Speaker Khuhro Nisar Ahmed said at a plan's launch ceremony. "We need long term planning and consistent budget support to modernize the Assembly to better serve the needs of our constituents."

The Plan provides a blueprint for all the legislature's departments to work together toward common objectives. Increasing public access to the Assembly by televising and electronically reporting its activities, improving oversight and enforcement of laws, and upgrading professional staff support is addressed in the new strategy.

"Today the Sindh Assembly has taken a great step toward becoming a more effective and representative body," Michael Hryshchyshyn said. "USAID is pleased to have played a role in supporting the Assembly as it developed a Plan based on international best practices as a guide to operating efficiently."

With USAID support, each of the five other Assemblies in Pakistan have completed draft strategic plans, and expect to formally adopt them in the coming months.