My Life

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Indian MPs in Pakistan

Islamabad

Ghulamullah Kyani

The Pakistan-India Parliamentarians dialogue took place in Islamabad on January 06-07.

On the first day of the Pakistan-India Parliamentarians’ Dialogue here in Islamabad, MPs from both side were unanimous that the trust deficit should be removed particularly in the areas that divide the two countries, with a view to resume the dialogue and promote a people’s movement for peace and reconciliation The Dialogue is organised and facilitated by Pakistan Institute of legislative development and transparency (PILDAT).

Senator S. M. Zafar from Pakistan and former Indian Minister for external affairsYashwat Sinha from India co-chaired the Parliamentarians’ Dialogue while SenatorJan. Mohammad. Jamali, Deputy Chairman Senate and Mr. Faisal Karim Kundi, MNA, Deputy Speaker National Assembly, formally opened the dialogue.

The Indian Parliamentarians participating in the dialogue include Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar, Member Rajya Sabha (Indian National Congress); Mr. Vijay Darda, Member Rajya Sabha (Indian National Congress); Ms. Naznin Faruque>/b>, Member Rajya Sabha (Indian National Congress); Mr. Shatrughan Sinha, Member Lok Sabha (Bharatiya Janata Party); Mr. Assaduddin Owaisi, Member Lok Sabha (All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen), and Mr. Pradeep Majhi, Member Lok Sabha (Indian National Congress).

Pakistani Parliamentarians engaged in the Dialogue include Senator Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, Leader of the House in the Senate (PPPP), Senator Waseem Sajjad, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (PML), Senator Jahangir Badar(PPPP), Senator Salim Saifullah Khan, Chairman Senate Foreign Affairs Committee (PML), Senator Ilyas Bilour, Chairman Senate Committee on Commerce (ANP), Dr. Donya Aziz, (PML), Khurram Dastagir Khan, Chairman National Assembly Committee on Commerce (PML-N), Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Abdul Qadir Baloch (PML-N),Mr. Muhammad Baligh-ur-Rehman (PML-N), Shaikh Waqas Akram, Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum (PML), Senator Syeda Sugra Imam (PPPP), Ms. Fozia Ejaz khan (MQM), Senator Zahid Khan, (ANP); Mr. Lal Chand, MNA, (PPPP), and Senator Saeeda Iqbal (PPPP).

Former Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, Mr. Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri and Mr. Sartaj Aziz, along with former Federal Minister Mr. Javed Jabbar serve as distinguished Observers to the Dialogue.

Joint Declaration

The parliamentarians of the two countries held a constructive, candid and comprehensive dialogue while recognizing the importance of their role in removing the trust deficit in the areas that divide the two countries. This would be done by building on commonalities and the positives with a view to resuming the dialogue and promoting a peoples movement for peace and reconciliation.

In order to do so they agreed on the need for a follow up mechanism, this should serve as a focal point and continue to provide support and assistance to the process.

It was agreed that the presiding officers of the parliaments of the two countries would be briefed about the outcome of the Islamabad meeting and requested to advice on a follow up mechanism.

The parliamentarians of the two countries who represent the public interest will be able to suggest practical steps for promoting and sustaining the dialogue by addressing outstanding issues. One of the possible ways of doing so could be that PILDAT and PRC in India or a similar body could be asked to serve as a co-coordinating agency to help facilitate such a dialogue. The dialogue would reflect the interest of the people of Pakistan and India to benefit from enormous opportunities that become available through mutual cooperation. The parliamentarians guided by the principals of cooperative and good neighborly relations would be able to address all issues of mutual concern and interest meaningfully including Kashmir, Water and Terrorism.