Pakistan is represented at the 8th Plenary Session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) being held from December 8-11, 2105, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia by a delegation led by Mian Raza Rabbani, Chairman Senate of Pakistan and the President APA. The Chairman is accompanied by Senator Nuzhat Sadiq, Senator Rubina Khalid and Senator Muhammad Ali Khan Saif.
The Chairman Senate presided over the Executive Council Meeting of the APA on December 8, 2015 that endorsed and recommended 18 Draft Resolutions of the three APA Standing Committees that are to be adopted at the closing of the Plenary Session on December 11, 2015.
The 8th APA Plenary was formally inaugurated on December 9, 2015 that was attended by Mr. Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN Sen, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia. The Speakers and parliamentarians from 22 Member States and International Organizations attended the event. Chairman Senate of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of Cambodia were keynote speakers at the inaugural ceremony.
The Chairman Senate of Pakistan held the Presidency of the APA since December 2013 for a two year term. Mian Raza Rabbani handed over the APA Presidency to Mr. Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei HENG Samrin, President of the National Assembly of Cambodia, who shall remain the APA President for next two years.
Mian Raza Rabbani, during his inaugural address, highlighted the significance of desired unity within the Asian States. He described, fighting terrorism and extremism, as the biggest challenges in today’s world. Pakistan has suffered the most, in terms of loss of lives and property, in its resolve to fighting terrorism, he said. Maintaining double standards, by the West, in dealing with Muslim and Asian countries was the root cause that instigated people to join terrorist banned organizations. The Chairman Senate said that chaos and mayhem, being faced by many countries, is a result of forced regime changes by foreign State and non-state actors. Such situations have led to destruction of State structure, that has given rise and space to extremism and the countries have become volatile, he remarked. Early creation of an Asian Parliament, to collectively deal with such issues, has become inevitable, Mian Raza Rabbani explained. The Senate of Pakistan is also the permanent secretariat of the Special Committee on Creation of Asian Parliament (SCCAP) – An APA special committee established last year to develop a roadmap of ‘Asian Parliament’.
On bilateral front, the Chairman Senate held a meeting with Mr. Samdech Vibol Sena Pheakdei SAY Chhum, President of the Senate of Kingdom of Cambodia and discussed means to enhance parliamentary relations between the two countries. Both the leaders of the Upper House, agreed to translate the existing potential in all areas of mutual cooperation.
PREVIOUS NEXT
