Islamabad: July 15, 2016; Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq called on Speaker House of Lord, Baroness D’Souza, according to a message received from London, UK. The meeting revolved around Pak-UK historic relations and opportunities for partnership in uplifting democracy through consistent Parliamentary engagement.

Highlighting the Kashmir Issue during the meeting, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that the peaceful settlement of Kashmir issue in accordance with the aspirations of Kashmiri people was imperative for the peace and development of the region. He said that Pakistan would extend its unwavering moral, political and diplomatic support to the just struggle of the Kashmiri people for their unalienable right of self-determination, as enshrined in the UN Charter and relevant UN resolutions. “Brutality and coercion have not and will not succeed in suppressing the aspiration and struggle of Kashmiris for their right to self-determination”, Speaker said.

He also informed Baroness D’Souza regarding new initiatives taken by the National Assembly of Pakistan specifically the establishment of first of its kind dedicated Secretariat for Sustainable Development Goals and setting up the first ever Green Parliament in the world after switching on Solar Power. Baroness D’Souza endorsed Ayaz Sadiq’s proposal for strengthening consistent 5relations with Pakistan encompassing trade, security, human rights, education and people to people contacts. The Lord Speaker said that Britain acknowledge Pakistan’s role in curbing terrorism and stands in solidarity with the families affected by terrorism.

Later on, Speaker National Assembly also held a meeting with MPs and members of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) separately. He said that that his election as President of CPA for the year 2015-16 was an expression of confidence in Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening democracy. This was for the first time in over 60 years of Pakistan’s association with the CPA that Pakistan would have hosted its Annual Conference in September 2015. However, he had to forego his Presidency and withdraw Pakistan’s bid for hosting the 61st CPA Conference for the sake of Pakistan’s historic, unwavering and principled stance on Kashmir as it cannot issue an invitation to the Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir Assembly to attend this Conference. He informed the MPs and CPA Members that Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir is rooted in UN Security Council Resolutions and International Law and further added that Pakistan upholds the right of people of Jammu & Kashmir to self-determination and will continue to provide political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri cause.  He further outlined that Pakistan will continue to cooperate with CPA Members in furthering Parliamentary democracy, rule of law and Human Rights as enshrined the CPA constitution.