Canberra, 5 January 2023 (TDI): The Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Pervaiz Ashraf, participated in the 26th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC).
The conference is taking place in Canberra, Australia from 3 to 6 January. The Australian Parliament is hosting this important parliamentary debate from 56 Commonwealth countries.
Pervaiz Ashraf was elected to the CSPOC Standing Committee from the Asia Region as he participated in the inaugural session, among other things. He also expressed his views during a session on security issues in Parliament.
Remarks by National Assembly Speaker
While speaking at the ceremony, Ashraf highlighted the importance of cooperation between parliaments.
In this vein, he reiterated, “Parliamentary cooperation is a pre-requisite for furthering people-to-people contacts and boosting ties among the member states of the Commonwealth.”
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He urged parliaments to collaborate on common issues, particularly climate change and mass socioeconomic uplift. According to Ashraf, the use of modern technology can help parliaments speed up their work and reach out to the general public.
He highlighted the work of the Parliament of Pakistan. Along these lines, he stressed, “The Pakistani parliament is at the forefront of modernization and digitization in its work. We keep seeking the best opportunities to work for the betterment of our people.”
Other bilateral engagements
Pervaiz Ashraf also held several bilateral meetings with the Parliamentary representatives of various countries on the fringes of the conference. In this regard, he met with Milton Dick, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of Australia.
Both officials discuss matters of common interest and pledge to enhance the parliamentary cooperation and exchange of delegations between Pakistan and Australia.
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Ashraf inscribed his remarks in the visitors’ book after meeting with the Speaker of the Australian Parliament. The Speaker also held meetings with Speakers from Sri Lanka, Canada, the United Kingdom (UK), and Malta among others.
The Speakers offer their condolences for the loss of lives due to floods in Pakistan and pledge their support for rehabilitating the flood-affected areas.
