*NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq held meeting with Speaker of Parliament of Uganda and Deputy Speaker of  House of the Nation of Bangladesh on the side lines of 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference* 

*Speaker  National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq urges for Stronger Parliamentary Ties with Uganda and Bangladesh*

 

South Africa: Cape Town, September 14, 2026: Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq held separate meetings with the Speaker of Parliament of Uganda, Mr. Jacob Marksons Oboth, and Deputy Speaker of House of the Nation of Bangladesh  Barrister Kayser Kamal on the sidelines of 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, and discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral and parliamentary relations.

During his meeting with the Speaker of  Parliament of Uganda, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq welcomed Mr. Jacob Marksons Oboth and recalled his longstanding friendship with Uganda. He also recalled the role played by former Speaker of Uganda Madame Kadaga in supporting Pakistan’s successful bid for the Presidency of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) in 2015.

 

Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has said that Pakistan has resolved  to renew and strengthen its friendships with African countries, stressing that it is time to further deepen Afro-Pak relations. He described Uganda as an important country in Africa and invited the Speaker of Parliament of Uganda to lead a parliamentary delegation to Pakistan.

 

Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also  informed his Ugandan counterpart that an 18-member Pak-Uganda Parliamentary Friendship Group was already functioning in the National Assembly of Pakistan and expressed hope that a similar group would be established in the Parliament of Uganda. The Ugandan Speaker informed him that a Friendship Group had already been constituted in his Parliament and handed over a copy of his letter dated September 9, 2026.

 

The two sides identified several potential areas of cooperation, including higher education, agriculture, food security, defence, climate change and parliamentary innovation. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq also highlighted the challenges posed by climate change to Pakistan and said that issues of mutual concern could form part of an agreed agenda for future cooperation.

 

Speaker Ayaz Sadiq briefed his Ugandan counterpart on Pakistan’s position regarding regional security and tensions with India, reiterating that Pakistan advocated the peaceful settlement of disputes and that war was not a solution. He also highlighted Pakistan’s long experience in combating terrorism and the challenges arising from instability in the region.The Speaker further invited Uganda to participate in the forthcoming conference of Women Parliamentarians of the CPA, to be hosted by the KP Assembly Branch of the CPA in March next year.

 

Later on, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also held meeting with  Deputy Speaker of  House of the Nation of Bangladesh Barrister Kayser Kamal, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq welcomed the Bangladeshi delegation and  he offered  a Fateha for the departed soul of the spouse of the Speaker of Bangladesh. He recalled his memorable visit to Dhaka for the funeral of Begum Khaleda Zia and also referred to his meeting with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

 

Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has  said that Pakistan has always desired strong and cordial ties  with Bangladesh. He recalled that Pakistan had supported Dr. Sharmeen Chaudhury for the chairpersonship of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and emphasized that there was considerable scope for mutual learning and cooperation between the two countries and their Parliaments.

 

The Speaker briefed the Deputy Speaker on Pakistan’s position regarding its dispute with India and reiterated that Pakistan believed in the peaceful settlement of disputes, stressing that war was not the solution.

 

Speaker National Assembly Sardar  Ayaz Sadiq also  appreciated  the Makkah Accord  and he also said that the whole world is praising Pakistan’s role in facilitating historic diplomacy between Iran and the United States of America and the developments surrounding the first direct contact between the two countries in several decades. He said that Pakistan remained vigilant against efforts aimed at undermining the peace process.

 

The Deputy Speaker of Bangladesh introduced Humam Quader Chawdhary, Member of Parliament and grandson of the former Speaker of United Pakistan, Ch. A.K.M. Fazlul Quader. Mr. Chawdhary called for stronger ties  between Pakistan and Bangladesh and expressed hope that the relationship between the two countries would improve further.

 

Barrister Mehbubul Alam Salehi, Member of Parliament from Jamaat-e-Islami, also called for closer relations between the two countries. Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal emphasised the importance of working together “shoulder to shoulder as brothers” and expressed satisfaction over the resumption of direct flights between Dhaka and Lahore.

 

Speaker National Assembly Sardar  Ayaz Sadiq also extended an invitation to the Deputy Speaker of Bangladesh to visit Pakistan. The meetings concluded with a shared resolve to promote closer parliamentary engagement, people-to-people contacts and mutually beneficial cooperation between Pakistan and Uganda and Pakistan and Bangladesh.