Parliamentary diplomacy to enhance relations among countries: NA Speaker

ISLAMABAD, Apr 30 (APP):Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser Tuesday said that only the parliamentary diplomacy could pave the way for mutual development and progress in all socio-economic fields.
He said that the challenges faced by the world could be tackled by mutual dialogue and by stressing on the need for parliaments to engage in meaningful dialogue for resolving all present challenges. He said that Parliaments could start debate and could start taking action on the agenda of mutual economic growth and social harmony. He expressed these views while addressing seminar on “Pakistan-Kazakhstan Relation and Role of Parliamentary Diplomacy” at Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS) here.
The Speaker said that Pakistan and Kazakhstan had always enjoyed close cooperation in the field of science, technology, agriculture, textile, pharmacology and surgical instruments. He said that this cooperation could be enhanced by Parliaments of both countries. “The present National Assembly has the largest number of Parliamentary Friendship Groups in the history of the country,” he added. He stressed on the need to use this Parliamentary Friendship platform for making Intra-Parliamentary cooperation as a tool to bring prosperity in the region. He said that the incumbent government was making Pakistan an investment friendly country and the business and trade class from Kazakhstan can invest in the field of trade, business, agriculture, textile and surgical instruments.
He also mentioned connectivity can ensure mutual and regional development; therefore Pakistan has made E-Visa facility for 175 countries with facility of visa on arrival for 50 countries. “There is a need of revival for Quadrilateral Agreement among Pakistan, China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyz Republic for Traffic-in- Transit(QTTA) to bring economic and social development,” the Speaker said. He appreciated Shazia Mari, convener of Pak-Kazakh Parliamentary Friendship Group for her efforts to re-activate the friendship group.
The members of Parliamentary Friendship Groups appreciated the increasing role of parliamentary diplomacy. They said that Kazakhstan always highly values its relations with Pakistan that are not only based upon mutual economic relations but also based upon people to people contact between both countries. They said that Parliamentary Friendship forum could bring Parliamentary input to always innovative foreign policy in the present globalize world.
The seminar was attended by Convener of Pak-Kazakhstan PFG in the National Assembly of Pakistan Shazia Marri, Members of the Pak-Kazakh Parliamentary Friendship Group, MNAs, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Pakistan Barlaybai Sadykov, Ambassadors of Friendly countries, representatives of the Business Community, Civil Society and Media.