Draft terms of reference for a committee

Set out the purpose, membership, tasks, timeline and reporting of a committee or working group in a clear, standard format.

Before you paste anything: replace names, CNIC numbers and other personal details with placeholders and never use classified material. Use only AI tools your department allows.

When to use it

A committee or working group is being set up and it needs terms of reference. You know why it exists and who should sit on it. You want a clear document that members can agree to.

The prompt

Draft terms of reference for a committee or working group in a government office in Pakistan.

Name of the committee: [name]
Set up by: [designation or office]
Approval it rests on: [exactly as written in the file]
Purpose: [why the committee exists, in one or two sentences]
Chair: [designation]
Members: [list by designation, not name]
Secretary: [designation]
Tasks: [what the committee must do]
Timeline: [start date, key dates and end date]
Reporting: [to whom, how often and in what form]

Write the terms of reference in [English / Urdu] with numbered sections:
1. Background and purpose
2. Membership (by designation)
3. Tasks
4. Timeline
5. Meetings and quorum
6. Reporting

Use only the details above. Do not invent tasks, powers, dates or a quorum. If something a committee normally needs is missing, such as a quorum or a meeting frequency, write [CHECK] in that section instead of filling it in.

How to fill it in

List members by designation so the terms stay valid when people move posts.
Be specific about tasks. "Review and recommend" is clearer than "look into".
Quote the approval exactly. The committee's authority comes from it.

Before you use the result

Check that the tasks match what the approving officer intended. No more, no less.
Fill each [CHECK] with a decision from the chair or the approving officer.
Make sure the end date and reporting line are realistic before you circulate it.