Parliamentary Friendship Groups: NA speaker nominates conveners to promote friendly ties across globe

ISLAMABAD: Speaker National Assembly (NA) Asad Qaisar Tuesday reactivated 91 Parliamentary Friendship Groups, which were constituted through a resolution passed by the National Assembly on September 24, 2018.

After assuming the position of the Speaker NA Asad Qaisar has evinced great interest in promoting cooperation and understanding between the National Assembly of Pakistan and its counterparts across the globe.

In order to promote friendly relations between parliamentarians of Pakistan and elected representatives of the fraternity of democratic governments around the globe, the Speaker has reactivated total 91 Parliamentary Friendship Groups (PFGs).

According to notification, Muhammad Bashir Khan has been nominated as a convener of Parliamentary Friendship Group for Afghanistan, Ali Zahid for Algeria, Arbab Amir Ayub for Argentina, Ms. Marriyum Aurangzeb for Australia, Muhammad Aslam Bhootani for India, Agha Hassan Baloch for Bahrain, Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk for Bangladesh, Muhammad Yaqoob Shaikh for Belarus, Sher Ali Arbab for Belgium, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada for Brazil, Sajid Khan for Brunei Darussalam, Mukhdoom Syed Sami-ul-Hassan Gillani for Bulgaria, Ms. Maleeka Bokhari for Chile, Noor Alam Khan for China, Riaz Fatyana for Cuba, Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan for Denmark, Qaisar Ahmed Sheikh for DPR Korea, Nasir Khan Musa Zai for Egypt, Shandana Gulzar Khan for European Parliament, Amjid Ali Khan for France, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq for Germany, Nusrat Wahid for Greece and Faiz Ullah for Iran.

Since 2011, the National Assembly of Pakistan has properly formalised this parliamentary activity to engage other parliaments and improve bilateral relations. The functions and role of PFGs is valuable instrument for promoting parliamentary diplomacy.

All the Members of the National Assembly have been informed regarding reactivation of the friendship group in writing soon after passing the resolution in the House regarding groups. So far, the National Assembly Secretariat received consent of 1/3 members till date and response from rest of the members is expected to be received in near future.

In light of the rules of the group as well as in his capacity as ex-officio President of all Friendship Groups, Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar nominated the conveners of total 23 countries.

The nomination of the conveners will resume the formal activities of the friendship groups while the conveners of the remaining groups will also be appointed once the groups complete required quorum.