The National Assembly (NA) Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has said parliament ensures prosperity of the nation and strong parliament is interlinked with the professionalism and vibrant role of staffers. Gracing the inaugural ceremony of the ‘9th National Parliamentary Development Course’ (NPDC) organised by the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS) on Monday for the parliamentary staffers of the NA, Senate, provincial assemblies, and legislative assembly of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), the speaker remarked that the objective of this course was to develop and enhance the skills of parliamentary staff so they could work with up-to-date and efficient oversight tools and techniques for the smooth running of the house business. He also said all parliamentary staff was honoured to serve in the most sacred institution, which also rendered them to be responsible for their work. The speaker advised the course participants to gain the maximum advantage of this opportunity and work hard with dedication, commitment, and professionalism. He also advised them to follow meritocracy as a core value in all organisations. He acknowledged PIPS for organising the 9th NPDC and expressed the hope that PIPS would continue to strive for the excellence of humans in provincial and federal legislatures. Executive Director of PIPS expressed gratitude to the speaker for gracing the event with his presence. Briefing the participants about the course, he said the basic goal of the NPDC was to enhance the efficiency of parliamentary staff so that they could assist the parliamentarians professionally.