Senate delegation participates in Asia-Pacific Parliamentarians Conference
By Asim Hussain

ISLAMABAD—A seven-member Senate delegation, led by Senator Muhammad Amjad Abbas attended a workshop under the auspices of the 1st Asia-Pacific Parliamentarians Conference on Environment and Development (APPCED) in Seoul.
Senator Muhammad Abbas is the Vice President of APPCED and Senator Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry acts as APPCED Secretary General. Other members of the delegation included Senator Khalid Ranjha, Senator Hameedullah Jan Afridi, Senator Shuja-ul-Mulk, Senator Safdar All Abbasi and Senator Mir Israrullah Zehri.
The three-day workshop was inaugurated by Speaker of the Korean National Assembly Lim Chae Jung and was addressed, inter alia, by Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki Moon, Lee Chi Beon, Minister for Environment and former Prime Minister Lee Hae Chan.
The workshop held four sessions devoted to issues of development and environmental policy MDGs and international development cooperation, Environment and MDGs and role of Parliamentarians to achieve MDGs.
The Prime Minister of Korea Han Myeong Sook hosted a dinner for the participants while Foreign Minister Ban Ki moon hosted a lunch. The delegation was also taken to the De Militarized Zone (DMZ). Senator Iqbal also called on the Korean Prime Minister.
Pakistan delegation actively participated in the Workshop and Senator Muhammad Abbas highlighted the policies of the government to achieve the MDGs.
He said that the consensus on MDGs by the comity of nations is a recognition to develop a sustainable framework, for ensuring well being of the people of the world.
Senator Abbas said that Parliamentarians can play a significant role in a country's development and can be effective in materializing the objectives of MDGs.
Senator Khalid Ranjha said MDGs provided a framework of global partnership for sustainable human development. He said that to attain MDGs, it was critical for the developed world to provide access to markets, new technologies and favorable terms of trade to the developing countries.
Senator Ranjha said that Pakistan was committed to change its economic and social landscape to fulfill its pledge to the Millennium Declaration and to attain MDGs.
Concerns of environmental sustainability are integrated in the national agenda and our commitment to the MDGs is reflected in interim Poverty Reduction strategy Paper 2001 and MTDF (2005-2010).