Public Accountability and anti-corruption are topics that generate strong interest and are of vital importance to the public and effective governance. In Pakistan, public accountability is often reduced to mean only anti-corruption and thus associated with criminal activity. However, the layered systems of checks and balances that constitute public accountability for achieving an efficient and honest administration in Pakistan are actually very complex.

 The Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP), Public Accounts Committees (PACs) of National and Provincial Assemblies, National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Federal and Provincial Ombudsman, Provincial Anti-Corruption Establishments, Federal and Provincial Services Tribunals, Federal and Provincial Public Services Commissions, Prime Minister's and Chief Ministers' Inspection Commissions/Teams, Establishment Division and Services & General Administration Departments in provinces are all part of the administrative edifice developed over the years to ensure Public Accountability.

 Despite billions in expenditure, thousands of staff and dozens of departments and official mechanisms at all levels of Government, Pakistan continues to suffer from systemic, endemic, syndicated corruption and lack of public accountability.

 Governance Institutions Network International (GINI) is an organization dedicated to governance research. We have conducting a two year research project on Public Accountability Institutions and their Macro Economic Impacts in Pakistan. The research is structured to address both quantitative and qualitative aspects of institutional functioning in relation to public accountability. This research is structured to review institutional functioning through the prism of historical genesis of the institutions.

 The quantitative research has four main components, i.e., Financial, Administrative, Legal and Performance through which the above mentioned public accountability institutions are being analyzed.

 Following the completion of the quantitative analysis the research is now shifting to concentrate on the qualitative analysis. In order to benefit from the experience of current and past practitioners seminar in Islamabad on 18th October, 2007 at the National Library of Pakistan Auditorium, behind Prime Minister's Secretariat, Islamabad. This will provide the opportunity to share the results of the quantitative research conducted by GINI and receive feed back ad comments to structure the future course of the qualitative research.

 It is with this background that we would be honored by your participation in this important effort to better understand the nature of this administrative affliction and its possible remedies. We look forward to being benefitted by your views and affording us the opportunity to present our progress so far. Please see the attached schedule for further details and information.