ISLAMABAD: Operations in the parliament should be digitalised completely by January 2023 as this will improve the efficiency, transparency and response of the government towards important matters, President Dr Arif Alvi said on Wednesday.

`It is quite important that the project of digitalisation of parliament should be completed within the stipulated time, the president said while presiding over a meeting on President`s Initiative for Cyber Efficient Parliament (PICEP) at the Parliament House.

The meeting was attended by Senate Chairman Mohammad Sadiq Sanjrani, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Minister for Information Technology & Telecom Syed Aminul Haque along with Secretary Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui and secretaries of Senate and NA.

Talking to Dawn, MrHaque said in thefirst phase, agendas of all sessions of the Senate and NA legislative, business committees and their proceedings will be digitalised. `Even the motions in the two houses will be presented through electronic or computerised system,` he said, adding the IT ministry will seek a government grant for the project under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) in the forthcoming budget.

He said he was not aware of the actual cost of the project yet.

Earlier, officials of Ministry of Information Technology & Telecom briefe d participants of the meeting about the implementation plan of the project. PC-I of the project has been prepared which will be sent to the competent forum, after completion of necessary formalities, for allocation of funds for financial year 2021-2022.

The president advised all stakeholders to work in unison for early completion of this project and lauded the IT ministry for designing the PC-1.Mr Sanjrani and Mr Qaiser said the project, once fully implemented will enhance efficiency of the parliament and assured their full support in early completion of the project. Furthermore, they directed their respective secretariats to create a plan for capacity enhancement of members in terms of information technology and gadgetry.

Separately, Mr Alvi met a delegation of Buddhist monks from Sri Lanka at the President House.

Welcoming the delegation, he said Pakistan highly valued its ties with Sri Lanka as both countries enjoy excellent relations in various fields which are based on mutual respect and trust. The president said that Pakistan considers Sri Lanka, a special partner and friend and wants to further improve bilateral cooperation for the mutual benefit of both countries.

Pakistan is home to the Gandhara Buddhist heritage and proud custodian of some of the most sacred relics of Buddhaoffering great potential for promoting religious tourism from Sri Lanka to Pakistan.

He asked the delegation to encourage monl(s and people of Sri Lanka to visit Buddhist religious sites in Pakistan as it has a far greater number of Buddhist artefacts than any other country in the world.

The president said people-to-people contact and religious tourism provides excellent platforms to further expand bilateralcooperation.

The president expressed hope that the delegation would enlighten their followers about Pakistan`s Buddhist heritage and also encourage them to undertake religious tours to Pakistan.

The delegation deeply thanked the government of Pakistan for making excellent arrangements to facilitate its visit to Buddhist sites. It also appreciated the measures taken by Pakistan for the renovation and preservation of Buddhist heritage sites.