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Pakistan wants to further strengthen relations with Canada
ISLAMABAD: The Chairman Senate Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari said on Thursday that Pakistan wanted to further promote and strengthen the relationship particularly through developing trade ties with Canada.
He said this during a meeting with the Speaker of the Canadian Senate Noel A. Kinsella on the sidelines of 127th Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Quebec City, according to a press release.
Both Leaders were of the view that Pakistan and Canada enjoyed close and historical relations.
The Canadian speaker said that the people from Pakistan were the pioneers in building and developing modern Canada.
He said that professors from Pakistan, who were working in 90 Canadian universities, had played a critical role in the scientific achievements in Canada.
Chairman Senate, while acknowledging the positive role of over 300,000 Pakistanis in the Canadian society, said that Pakistan has been receiving remittances from them which was an important contribution in the economy.
He said that Pakistan offered conducive environment for foreign direct investment particularly in the energy sector.
He also highlighted the challenges which Pakistan was facing, as a front state, in the war against terrorism.
He said that Pakistan had suffered the most in the war as it lost more than 40,000 people.
He said that international community must assist Pakistan in overcoming this challenge and it was possible only if all players worked in cohesion.
The Canadian Speaker expressed his sympathies with Pakistan on the loss of lives.
He appreciated the role and resolve of Pakistan in fighting terrorism. He said that economic development was a tool to enable youth to divert and spend its energies.
He added that lack of economic growth frustrates the young people and they were tempted to do wrong things.
The Canadian Speaker said that the politicians bore the responsibility to be creative and helpful to governments in formulating effective economic policies.
The Chairman Senate, while agreeing to his counterpart's views, said that the parliaments must play their due role and therefore parliamentary exchanges would provide opportunities to learn from each other's experience.
The Chairman Senate responded that it was important to see things first hand.
In this context, he extended as invitation to the Canadian Speaker to visit Pakistan along with members of Canada-Pakistan Friendship Group in the Canadian Senate.
He said that the visit would enable the Canadian Senators to understand Pakistan's security challenges and compulsions.
Chairman Senate Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari also met the Speaker of the Indian Lok Sabha (Parliament) in Quebec City on the sidelines of the Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
Both leaders agreed on the importance of frequent parliamentary exchanges as a tool to strengthen people-to-people contacts between the two countries.
They also shared the view that the parliamentarians from both sides had played vital role in the rapprochement between Pakistan and India.
They expressed their commitment to continue to play this role in promoting dialogue and resolving bilateral issues.
The Indian Speaker, while recalling her visit to Pakistan early this year, said that she found the Pakistani people very open, forthcoming and hospitable.
She also said that her visit was the first ever bilateral visit by any Indian Speaker and that she would be visiting Pakistan again in early November to attend the SAARC Speakers Conference.
The Indian Speaker said that 42 political parties had representation in the Indian Parliament and each party had its own position on a range of issues.
Chairman Senate, while reciprocating the desire for good neighbourly relations with India, said that dialogue was the only way to address issues between the two countries.
He also said that both countries were facing similar problems like poverty malnutrition, illiteracy, etc. therefore, both countries could learn from each other's experience and thus address the issues more effectively.
Chairman Senate said that the Parliament of Pakistan would look forward to her second visit to Pakistan in November.
He said that the Parliament represents views and desires of people therefore it would be useful to enhance parliamentary interaction between the two countries.
The Indian Speaker endorsed the views of the Chairman Senate.
The Indian Speaker said that the visa agreement signed during the visit of the Indian Foreign Minister to Pakistan in September would fulfill the popular demand from both sides to relax the visa regime.
The Chairman Senate said that the new visa agreement was another positive indicator of growing bilateral relations.
He said that the parliamentarians, as responsible representatives. should take initiatives to address the issues being faced by the people of two countries and come up with practical solutions.
Pakistan wants to further strengthen relations with Canada