ISLAMABAD - Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani has proposed the idea of holding a regional seminar on terrorism, inviting regional states to share their experiences in countering the menace.
He was speaking in a meeting with the Secretary-General of Inter-Parliamentary Union, Mr Martin Chungong, who called on him at the Senate on Friday. Most of the South Asian countries have directly or indirectly suffered from it, he said.
Martin Chungong arrived here on Friday in Islamabad on a three-day visit to Pakistan.
Martin Chungong appreciated the idea saying that “the IPU has obtained the mandate and a regional seminar is on the cards as terrorism is the serious-most threat to international peace.”
Raza Rabbani said that Pakistan was in the process of developing better ties with parliaments of the world and “we are looking forward to enhancing relations with the Inter-Parliamentary Union.”
He said he was encouraged by the recent visits of the Kuwaiti and Maldivian Speakers of their legislatures and discussions during the Chinese president’s visit to Pakistan.
He said Pakistan held the post of Asian Parliamentary Union’s presidency and the former Senate chairman floated the idea of an Asian Parliament, adding that in order to fortify the idea, he would need the invaluable input from the IPU on the right model for the Asian Parliament.
Rabbani said Pakistan was committed to the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the government was ready to brief the Secretary-General on the country status.
Mr Chungong appreciated Pakistan’s efforts in improving relations with world parliaments. He was speaking about the international developments on the IPU platform including the two Koreas, Syria, Maldives, Fiji and China.
Mr Chungong said he could provide assistance in reviving cooperation between UNDP, IPU and the parliaments.
IPU Secretary-General, Martin Chungong, on his visit to the Senate of Pakistan signed the Visitors’ Book and called on the Leader of the House, Raja Zafarul Haq who hosted a lunch in his honour.