ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Canada have agreed to further boost parliamentary linkages and bilateral cooperation in different sectors for benefit of the people of the two countries.
This was agreed in a meeting between Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) delegation of the Parliament of Canada at the Parliament House on Wednesday. The Senate chairman, while welcoming the delegation, observed that Pakistan placed its bilateral ties with Canada at high esteem, and desired to further expand relationship in different sectors.
He said that both Pakistan and Canada shared objectives, and cooperation between the two was on a positive trajectory. The Senate chairman was assisted by senators Rukhsana Zubairi, Samina Saeed, Anwaaarul Haq Kakar, Faisal Javed, Auranzeb Orakzai, Sitara Ayaz, Talah Mehmood and Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif. The visiting side was headed by Yasmin Ratansi, MP and comprised Senator Salma Ataullahjan, Senator Diane Griffin and MPs including Terry Duguid, Robet Kitchen, Murray Rankin, and Ramesh Sangha.
Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani underscored the need for enhanced parliamentary linkages and suggested for activation of parliamentary groups in respective parliaments to bring people of the two countries closer.
He said that both Pakistan and Canada had played an active role on Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and both had supported each other at different international forums, which was manifestation of the fact that governments of the two countries wanted to place ties on a high pedestal.
Sanjrani said that Pakistan and Canada had increased bilateral trade and economic cooperation recently but there was huge potential to promote it further.
He said that Pakistan was a diverse country with bright economic prospects and desired to further expand ties in different sectors.
Sanjrani also emphasised the need for further cooperation in various sectors along with promoting people-to-people contact for better understanding to bring both the countries close to each other.
The Senate chairman appreciated the proactive role of the Canadian parliament in the CPA.
He apprised that Pakistan would host post-election seminar in collaboration with the CPA in May, 2018.
Both sides also expressed agreement to initiate training and capacity building programmes for officers of the parliament on a more regular basis.
The Canadian delegation agreed with the views of Senate chairman and called for more regular interaction at parliamentary and other levels.
During the meeting, the Canadian high commissioner apprised the Senate chairman that Canadian government would soon introduce scholarship schemes for students from Balochistan and would extend cooperation for promotion of the fisheries and mining sectors in the province.
The delegation also visited the Gali-e-Dastoor and Senate Museum and expressed interest in the effort to conserve the parliamentary history of the country.