Pakistan wants peace with all neighbours to ensure economic progress in the region:President Mamnoon Hussain

Lahore: Chairman Senate Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari and Punjab Governor Muhammad Sarwar called on President Mamnoon Hussain at the Governor House here on Wednesday.

President Mamnoon Hussain felicitated Chairman Senate Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari on the successful conduct of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) in which some 126 members parliament and observer delegates from across 25 Asian countries attended the 7th Plenary Session.

He also congratulated the Chairman on his election as President of APA for 2 years.The President expressed the hope that the event would improve country’s image in the world.

President Mamnoon said today Pakistan was confidently treading the path of political and economic stability though it had been faced with daunting challenges of human development, economic and security fronts – more essentially rooted in frequent interruption of democratic process.

Pakistan, he said, had to face the repercussions of a decade-long role as the front-line state in international war on terror.

Mamnoon said the APA might serve as a unique forum where experience of the Asian lawmakers and people’s representatives would crystallize into visionary, progressive and people sensitive solutions.

He expressed the hope that the deliberations and proposals of the APA delegates would be translated into viable plans of action geared towards addressing the genuine problems of the masses at grassroots level.

The President said the formation of ‘Asian Parliament’ would help achieve the mutually agreed goals of the APA.

Earlier, President Mamnoon Hussain had personal interaction with the members and representatives of the APA, member parliaments and observer delegates and exchanged pleasantries.

Punjab Governor Muhammad Sarwar, Senate Chairman Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari and Chairman Organizing Committee of the 7th Plenary session of the APA Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed were also present on the occasion.

President Mamnoon Hussain Wednesday said that Pakistan wanted peace with all neighbours to ensure economic progress in the region.

Addressing the delegates of Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) at the luncheon hosted by him here at the Governor House, he expressed the optimism that the APA would achieve its goals of peaceful coexistence, perseverance in the face of challenges, tolerance, and religious harmony.

The President welcomed the APA delegates to the historic city of Lahore and lauded efforts of Senate Chairman Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari for the formation of Asian Parliament. He hoped that the APA would be successful in attaining enhanced inter-parliamentary cooperation, expertise in the areas of better public policy, legislation and public outreach.

The President stressed the need to neutralise common roadblocks in the way of Asia’s rise as the global economic and technological and cultural hub. The Asian countries, he said, were facing socio-economic, geo-political, energy, security, trade, human rights, education and health challenges.

The huge challenges, he added, could be subdued with the human will and the young energetic population.