Deputy Chairman Senate Meets US Deputy Chief of Mission.

Deputy Chairman Senate Meets US
Deputy Chief of Mission.

Calls for Transforming Pakistan-US Relations into Sustainable, Institutional and Parliamentary Partnership

ISLAMABAD:(Special Representative)According to Global times News Agancy Europe,Deputy Chairman Senate Syedaal Khan Nasir met with Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) of the US Embassy in Islamabad, Natalie A Baker. The meeting focused on Pakistan-US bilateral relations, parliamentary diplomacy, regional peace and stability, cooperation against terrorism, the situation in Afghanistan, and the promotion of long-term institutional linkages between the two countries.During the meeting, the Deputy Chairman Senate emphasized the need to further strengthen Pakistan-US relations through sustained and meaningful engagement among parliaments, governments, business communities, civil society and people of the two countries.He said that Pakistan and the United States already have a foundation of mutual respect, shared interests and long-term cooperation, which can be further strengthened through sustained political, parliamentary and diplomatic engagement. He reaffirmed that Pakistan, as a responsible state, desires to advance its relations with the United States on the basis of mutual trust, respect and shared interests.The Deputy Chairman Senate said that the parliaments of both countries, as important institutions of public representation, can play the role of a bridge in strengthening bilateral relations. He discussed the proposal for establishing a permanent Inter-Parliamentary Group (IPG) between Pakistan and the United States and emphasized that such a forum should not be limited to delegation visits or ceremonial meetings, but should focus on sustained parliamentary diplomacy, institutional dialogue, policy exchange and measurable outcomes.He said that the proposed parliamentary group could provide a structured mechanism for regular and continuous engagement between the US Congress and the Parliament of Pakistan. It could facilitate policy dialogue on issues of mutual interest, regular meetings, exchange of parliamentary experiences and an effective follow-up mechanism.Referring to the challenge of terrorism , the Deputy Chairman Senate said that terrorism is a shared challenge and cooperation and exchange of experiences between Pakistan and the United States could be further enhanced to effectively address this menace.He said that Pakistan had rendered unprecedented sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, while the people of the country, particularly the people of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, had paid a heavy price for the establishment of peace.Discussing the situation in Afghanistan, the Deputy Chairman Senate said that lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan are in the interest of Pakistan and the entire region.Peace in Afghanistan, he added, would not only benefit the Afghan people but could also create new opportunities for peace, trade, economic development and regional connectivity for Pakistan, the United States and the wider region.On the prevailing regional situation, the Deputy Chairman Senate said that Pakistan has consistently supported dialogue, diplomacy, restraint and peaceful means for the resolution of disputes, particularly in the context of growing tensions in the region.He said that Pakistan, as a responsible regional country, would continue to support efforts aimed at de-escalation, diplomatic engagement and dignified political solutions to regional issues.The Deputy Chairman Senate emphasized that economic and trade cooperation should be given central importance in further strengthening Pakistan-US relations.
He said that US investment in Pakistan, improved access for Pakistani products to the US market, technology transfer, business innovation and stronger linkages between the private sectors of the two countries could further strengthen mutually beneficial relations.He said that parliamentary-level facilitation could also be provided to promote stronger linkages between the business communities and investors of Pakistan and the United States, so that economic relations could be further integrated with political and diplomatic engagement.The Deputy Chairman Senate said that people-to-people relations constitute an important component of Pakistan-US bilateral ties. He described the Pakistani-American community as an important bridge between the two countries, noting that Pakistani-Americans can play a positive role in promoting economic, educational, political and social linkages between Pakistan and the United States.The US Deputy Chief of Mission appreciated the importance of parliamentary engagement in promoting Pakistan-US relations and agreed on the need to further strengthen bilateral cooperation, economic linkages and people-to-people contacts between the two countries.At the conclusion of the meeting, it was agreed to maintain regular and sustained engagement to further promote parliamentary,diplomatic, economic and people-to-people linkages between Pakistan and the United States. Both sides also agreed to continue efforts to make cooperation in areas of mutual interest more practical, substantive and result-oriented.