Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari has emphasized the need for
frequent exchange of visits of Pak- Afghan parliamentary delegations
and also urged for forging stronger links and ties among women
parliamentarians of the two countries.
A delegation of women Parliamentarians from Afghanistan on Friday called on President Asif Ali Zardari at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
The
delegation includedamong others Ms Asila Wardak Jamal, Director Human
Rights & women’s International Affairs, Ms Shinkai Karokhail, Ms
Razai Sadat Mangal, Ms Golalei Nur Safi and Ms Elay Ershad.
Mr.
M. Salman Faruqui, Secretary General, Dr Nafisa Shah, MNA, Dr Donya
Aziz, MNA, Ms Farhanaz Ispahani, MNA and Spokesperson to the President
Mr. Farhatullah Babar were also present.
Pak-Afghan bilateral
relations and mutual cooperation, enhanced ties among the
parliamentarians of the two countries particularly the women
parliamentarians, situation in Afghanistan and other related issues
were discussed during the meeting.
Briefing the media,
Spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar said that the President
emphasized the need for frequent exchange of visits of Pak- Afghan
parliamentary delegations and also urged for forging stronger links and
ties among women parliamentarians of the two countries.
He
called upon women parliamentarians to make joint efforts and
participate actively at advancing the cause of gender equality and
emancipation of women and also for ending all forms of discrimination
against women both in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He expressed the hope
that the visit by the Parliamentarians would further strengthen cordial
relations between the two countries.
The spokesperson said that
the President recalled his meeting with the first Convention of Women
Parliamentarians from Afghanistan and South Asia last year and said
that the Convention that also include Afghan women Parliamentarians was
as a giant leap towards a meaningful participation of women leaders for
peace, security and reconciliation in the region. The President while
referring to the current wave of militancy and extremism in the region
said that the world would be a better place if more women were in
positions of power and women of the region were brought closer
together. He said that the bringing together of women of the region
will make this region and the world more tolerant, more peaceful and
more secure.
The President said that Pakistan wants to further
enhance trade and investment ties with Afghanistan and urged for
increasing the current bilateral trade which is around US $ 2 billion
to new heights. He expressed the hope that the new Afghanistan-
Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) will boost trade and economic
opportunities to the mutual benefit and its smooth implementation will
have dividends for peoples of both the countries.
The President
said that we feel proud that Pakistan Peoples Party has to its credit
many firsts on the road of women emancipation adding that Shaheed
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was the first woman Prime Minister of Pakistan
and she was also the first woman Prime Minister anywhere in the Muslim
World. For the first time in our parliamentary history a women caucus
has been formed, he said and added that apart from women members of
Parliament, we have women pilots, women judges and women police
officers. We have women in other government services and in the
country’s corporate and private sector, he said.
Discussing
Afghanistan situation, the President said that Pakistan stands for
peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan which he said was in its
own interest as any development in Afghanistan had its impact on
Pakistan. He reiterated Pakistan will support every effort to bring in
peace and stability in Afghanistan adding that Pakistan desires an
Afghan led solution to the current situation in Afghanistan.
The
members of the delegation thanked the President for meeting and
appreciated the various efforts being taken by the government for
socio- political and economic empowerment of women of the country. Online
