Parliamentary delegation leaves for Geneva to attend IPU

ISLAMABAD—A nine member parliamentary delegation led by Ch. Amir Hussain, Speaker National Assembly left for Geneva on 5-day visit on Saturday to attend the 115th Assembly of Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU).
The IPU Assembly is being held in Geneva from 15th to 20th October 2006. In the Assembly all the IPU member countries will participate. Agenda of the 115th Assembly of the IPU includes Election of the President and Vice-President of the 115th Assembly, Cooperation between parliaments and the United Nation in promoting world's peace, particularly from the perspectives of the fights against terrorism and energy security and the role of parliament in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Speaking to media persons before departure, the speaker National Assembly said that IPU Assembly would deliberate on matters relating to strengthening democratic institutions in the member countries.
He said that besides attending regular sessions of assembly, the delegation will also have interactive meetings with the their counterparts during their stay in Geneva which will provide them opportunity to exchange views to develop better understanding and share experiences for mutual benefits.
The Speaker termed the visit an important milestone in promoting and strengthening friendship and cooperation with the member countries.
"The visit will also be helpful in exploring opportunities of further expansion of bilateral relation in economic, political, culture and social spheres between the IPU countries", he added.
He said that the IPU countries is a union of the developed and developing countries and Pakistan has to share and to learn a lot from the experience s of the advanced members of the IPU.
The delegation includes Deputy Chairman Senate Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali, Senator Khalid Ranjah, Senator Asif Mustafa Jatoi, MNA Sardar Muhammad Nusrullah Dareshak, MNA Sheikh Waqqas Akram, MNA Muhammad Abid Ali Oman, MNA Fauzia Habib, MNA Mehnaz Raffi, MNA Bushra Anwar Sipra, Member/ASGP Raja Muhammad Amin, Member/ASGP Karamat Hussain Niazi and Feroz Khan, Director General/ Secretary to Delegation.—Agencies