August 16 , 2016
News
Ayaz inaugurates 1st SAARC Young Parliamentarians’ Conference 2016
SAARC leaders can settle outstanding issues through dialogue: NA Speaker
By: OnlineISLAMABAD: Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq says SAARC future leaders could settle the outstanding issues through dialogue and engagement to move towards peace and prosperity in the region. He was addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 1st SAARC Young Parliamentarians’ Conference in Islamabad on Tuesday.
The Conference is being jointly hosted by National Assembly of Pakistan and Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services which will offer the region’s young parliamentarians’ narrative as a prelude to the 19th SAARC Summit that Pakistan is going to host in November this year.
The Speaker said that South Asia must not remain a “Prisoner of the Past” but it should radiate fresh ideas and aspirations of our combined future. He said that statesmanship demanded that we confront our issues judiciously and address them honestly with an aim to solve them sincerely. Ayaz Sadiq outlined that shared cultures and histories of the region, and developing economies could provide ample opportunities to work together to address common challenges.
He highlighted that the goal of holding this conference was to build bridges between the future leaders of South Asia on a platform that supports continued engagement and cooperation. He urged the young parliamentarians to grasp the opportunity and with wide-ranging legislative and oversight powers and to turn the dream of a peaceful and prosperous neighbourhood into a beaming reality.
The NA Speaker said that the inaugural SAARC Young Parliamentarians Conference was a milestone to strategise a vision of vibrant, skilled and socially proactive youth citizenship in all member countries. He said special attention must be paid to encouraging youth participation in politics and civil society, and bringing about gender equality in all dimensions of our societies”, he added.
He hoped that the diverse themes being deliberated in the Conference would augment the joint efforts of all young parliamentarians to provide sustainable solutions to our common challenges including human security, abject poverty, and malnutrition and achieving Sustainable Development Goals.
Acting head of the EU delegation to Pakistan Stefano Gatto said EU will continue to support SAARC in achieving its goals. He said there is a need to turn confrontation into cooperation for integration of the SAARC.
SAARC Secretary General Arjun Bahadur Thapa in his remarks said young parliamentarian's role is necessary for political and social transformation of society. He said promotion of peace and harmony imperative for development.
Youngest Pakistani Parliamentarian Malik Muhammad Uzair Khan in his welcome address said this conference would inject fresh approach to meet challenges being faced by the region. He hoped that outcome of this conference would help institutionalise SAARC Young Parliamentarians Forum.
Delegates from Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the host Pakistan are participating in the two-day conference. The objective of the conference is to give young narrative of progress to the upcoming SAARC conference to be held in Islamabad in November.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk