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The National Assembly has been summoned to meet on Monday, the 1st April, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. in the Parliament House, Islamabad
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Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs discussed Pakistan-Afghanistan Relations

Wednesday, 5th April, 2017

The 34th meeting of Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs was held in-camera in the Parliament House, Islamabad today under the Chairmanship of Mr. Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, MNA to discuss Pakistan – Afghan relations as per the agenda.

2.     In his opening remarks the Chairman said that last year our committee prepared and sent the recommendations on Pakistan-Afghan relations encompassing different complex nature of these relations. We hope that the Foreign Office might have benefitted from these suggestions. However, since the situation is changing at a very fast pace, therefore, it is once again being felt that our Committee should understand the Foreign Office’s view and then put their recommendations for handling the relations between the two neighbor countries. Later he invited the Foreign Advisor to brief the Committee in the light of latest information available with him.

3.    The Advisor on Foreign affairs extemporarily briefed the present situation of the Pakistan-Afghan relations from all dimensions including his latest meetings abroad and concluded that things are moving in right directions now and an emerging approach of regionalism and connectivity is surfacing which is binding the other stake holders to avoid any miscarriage realizing the facts of past experiences and new realignments.

4.     The Members raised searching questions and tried to understand the direction, strategy and a focus on long term formal structured bilateral relations with Afghanistan. While acknowledging the concerns and valuable inputs from the Committee Members, the Adviser said that the Foreign Ministry will continue to seek guidance from the Parliamentary body and also in favor of promoting Parliamentary diplomacy in this particular area of interest.

5.     The Chairman thanked the Advisor and all the Committee Members for a very thoughtful, condensed and positive debate on a very vital issue for Pakistan’s Foreign policy. He further added that we shall hold more meetings in this connection and forward our latest recommendations very soon.

6.    The Members who attended the Meeting are: Sahibzada Muhammad Nazeer Sultan, Mian Najeebuddin Awaisi, Mr. Muhammad Khan Daha, Ch. Salman Hanif Khan, Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi, Dr. Shireen Mehrunnisa Mazari, Mr. Ghous Bux Khan Maher, Ms. Naeema Kishwar Khan, Mr. Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao and Senior Officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also attended the meeting.