Pakistan, France need cooperation to resolve challenges: Asad

F.P. Report

Islamabad: The Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser has said that Pakistan and France enjoy friendly relations and both countries have commonality of views on major issues and challenges faced by the world. He said that Pakistan and France need cooperation and coordination to resolve these challenges.

He further said that Pakistan and France are tied in mutual bond of trade, business and economic cooperation. He expressed these views while talking with delegation of French Parliamentarians who called on him under leadership of Vice President of Foreign Affairs Committee and Chairman French-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Group Senator Mr. Pascal Allizard in Parliament House on Wednesday.

The speaker said that he has established largest number of parliamentary friendship groups in National Assembly of Pakistan keeping in view the effectiveness of intra-parliamentary coordination and cooperation. While stressing on the need to strengthen the parliamentary friendship groups, he expressed his desire that parliaments of both the countries can further enhance mutual friendly relations.

He expressed his desire that both countries should improve their relations via trade, business and economic sectors. He said that Pakistan has vast opportunities of investment in the fields of energy, infrastructure, agriculture and industry.  “Pakistan and France business alliance may be strengthen while protecting the mutual economic interest”, the Speaker added.He said that Pakistan has been facing the scourge of terrorism with bravery and courage and we can feel the pain of terrorism and extremism propelled incident in the France.” Terrorism and extremism is threat to regional and world peace and the comity nations need close cooperation to eradicate this menace”, he added.

He mentioned that Pakistan is striving to implement SDGs in letter and spirit and a state of the art SDGs secretariat have been established in National Assembly. “Climate is a major issue for all and we have made our parliament “Green” by installation of solar power plant”, he said.

He further said that women parliamentarian caucus has been established to have pro-women legislation and policies in the country.Senator Mr. Pascal Allizard and French parliamentarians agreed with the proposal of intra parliamentary coordination to resolve all issues faced by the world.

He said that France is especially interested in the promotion of democracy and strengthening the democratic institutions in Pakistan. He expressed their interest to cooperate in the field of education, energy, agriculture and infrastructure. Mr. Amjad Khan Niazi, Convener Pak-France Friendship Group and Ms. Andleeb Abbas, Parliamentary Secretary Foreign Affair were also present during the meeting.

Later on, the delegation of Korean parliamentarians led by Mr. Soo Hyuck LEE, member of Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee also called on the Speaker National Assembly in the Parliament House.  Asad Qaiser said that both countries should enhance their mutual and trade relations. He invited the Korean trade and business organizations to invest in Pakistan as the incumbent government is making Pakistan investment friendly nation.

“Parliamentarians of both nations should strive for promotion of mutual development”, he added. He said the large numbers of Pakistani workers are serving in the Korea and there is a need to facilitate them.

He also stressed the need for Korean cooperation in the field of vocational and technical education for the Pakistani students.

The Korean delegation appreciated the role of Pakistani workers in the development and progress of Korea. They also showed their interest for investing in Pakistan in the field of education, trade, health and infrastructure. They said that Korea values high its relations with Pakistan and wanted to strengthen the existent relation through enhance cooperation in the diverse fields.  Ms. Andleeb Abbas, Parliamentary Secretary Foreign Affairs and Mr. Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh Convener Pak-Korean Friendship Group were also present in the meeting.