REGIONAL COOPERATION AMONG ECO MEMBER STATES IMPERATIVE FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: NA SPEAKER

Islamabad: 1st June 2021; Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser has said that multilateral cooperation is imperative for regional development and economic prosperity. He remarked that ECO region with an area 8 million Square kilometer and vast population of 460 million has immense potential of mutual cooperation in the spheres of trade and economy.  He expressed these views during his welcome address in inaugural Session of 2nd General Conference of Parliamentary Assembly of the Economic Cooperation Organization (PAECO) in Islamabad Today.

Speaker Asad Qaiser said that 10 members of ECO can capitalize their potential by Parliamentary cooperation especially in the context of the negatives of COVID-19 Pandemic. He said that Parliament of Pakistan successfully organized a seminar to explore the opportunities to promote  trade between Pak-Afghan in 2020 and multiple initiatives has been taken under the Executive committee Pak-Afghan parliamentary Friendship Group.

While mentioning the plight of innocent Kashmiris and Palestinians, he remarked that world should take stock of the gross violations of basic human rights in Indian Occupied Jammu&Kashmir and in Palestine. He said that without resolution of contentious issues like Kashmir and Palestine the sustainable peace cannot be achieved.

Meanwhile, Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser expressed his gratitude for unanimously electing him as Chairperson of Executive Assembly of PAECO. He said that PAECO would provide a plate forum for strengthening the inter parliamentary cooperation. He expressed the hope that PAECO would continue to open new avenues of cooperation among ECO member States.  He congratulated to Afghanistan being unanimously chosen to be host of 3rd PAECO by the Executive Council of PAECEO. He hoped that unanimous decisions of Executive Council would further strengthen PAECO.

Mir Rehman Rahmani ,Speaker of the Wolsi Jirga of Afghanistan, Ms. Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of the Mili Majlis of Azerbaijan, Mr. Talant Mamytov, Speaker of the Supreme Council of Kyrgyz Republic,  Mr. Zokirzoda  Mahmodthohir ,Chairman of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the Majlisi Oli, Republic of Tajikstan, Mr. Mustafa Sentop ,Speaker of  the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Mr. Ismoilov Nurdinjoin, Speaker of the  Majlis  Oli of the Republic of Uzbekistan and  Mr. Mynbay Darkhan as  Heads of the delegation of the House of Representatives of Kazakhstan also address the inaugural ceremony of the conference . Whereas,  Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf ,Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran,  Ms.Gulshat Mammedova Chairperson of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan and Dr.Hadi Soleimanpour Secretary General of ECO would virtually address the conference.

In their addresses the guest Speakers appreciated the Pakistan’s effort to bring ECO member Parliament on the plateform of PAECO. They also mentioned about vast opportunities in the field of economy and trade. They mentioned of the need of close cooperation and connectivity among ECO member states. The Guest Speakers mentioned that PAECO is not only a platform for regional parliamentary diplomacy throuth dialogue, consensus, synergy and alignment of national member Parliaments of the member states.

The guest speakers also mentioned that peace and tranquility without eliminating the threats to solidarity and cooperation on a global scale, and especially without international consensus and cooperation on issues such as war, violence and the countering against terrorism is not possible.