Pak MPs off to India for 2nd round of dialogue

ISLAMABAD (APP) - A 20-member multi-party parliamentary delegation of Pakistan left for India on Wednesday to participate in the second round of Pakistan-India Parliamentarians Dialogue facilitated by Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency (PILDAT). According to a PILDAT official, the two-day dialogue would be held on today (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday), in New Delhi. The official said that the Parliamentarians will carry forward the discourse on the issues highlighted in the first round of dialogue held in Islamabad on Jan 6-7 this year including strengthening people-to-people contacts, a liberal visa regime, terrorism, Jammu and Kashmir issue, water, role of media, removing trust deficit and other issues like. Deputy Chairman of Senate Jan Mohammad Khan Jamali and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi, will co-lead the Pakistan delegation while seasoned MPs from Pakistan and India, Senator S. M Zafar (Punjab, PML), former Federal Minister for Law, Pakistan and Yashwant Sinha, former Union Minister for External Affairs and Finance, India (Jharkhand, BJP) will be co-chair the Pakistan-India Parliamentarians Dialogue-II. The Parliamentary delegation members nominated by Speaker of National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza as well as leaders from major political parties of Pakistan will interact with a multi-party Indian Parliamentary delegation in New Delhi on issues that impact the relations of both countries. The initiative spearheaded by parliamentarians from both the countries is to engage with one another to strengthen people-to-people contacts for peace and stability in the region and explore additional avenues of parliamentary diplomacy in the quest for peaceful and friendly relations between the two neighbours. The Pakistan delegation comprises six Senators and 14 MNAs belonging to six political parties in addition to independent members. The Pakistan-India Parliamentarians Dialogue-I was facilitated by PILDAT in Islamabad, Pakistan on January 6, 7, 2011 in which a 7-member Indian Parliamentary delegation engaged with multi-party group of Pakistani MPs. Fortynine members of Indian Parliament from 14 parties in addition to independent members have so far confirmed to participate in the dialogue.

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