ISLAMABAD    -   National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Thursday appointed conveners for the Parliamentary Friendship Groups (PFGs) in the 16th National Assembly of Pakistan to foster relations with the parliaments across the globe. While finalizing the names of conveners, the NA speaker emphasized on providing equal opportunities to all the political parties present in the National Assembly, said an NA Secretariat press release.  He said, “The Parliamentary Friendship Groups have played a pivotal role in fostering coordination and understanding with the world parliaments with a view to enhance the scope of cooperation in diverse fields.” Ayaz Sadiq said the forums had also proved to be instrumental in creating conducive atmosphere for the governments to collaborate on the matter of mutual interest and devise collective and mutually beneficial mechanisms for promoting cooperation and enhancing people-to-people contacts. He directed all the conveners of the Parliamentary Friendship Groups to proactively contribute towards strengthening diplomatic as well as trade and economic ties with other countries within the region and beyond.