BAKU -UNS: Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that peace, democracy, human rights and sustainable development are shared ideals and Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) provides an opportunity to pursue these share ideals together thus transforming APA into a true institutional voice of Asian Century. While leading a parliamentary delegation of Senators and MNAs, the Senate Chairman addressed the plenary session of APA being held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Addressing the participants from different Asian regions, the Chairman Senate said that global landscape continues to evolve and Asia remains at the center of geo-economic transformation, security concerns, and geopolitical realignments. Mr. Gilani said that parliamentary diplomacy serves as a bridge-one that connects diverse nations and political systems in pursuit of common interests. “It enables us to address pressing regional issues and challenges, including economic integration, trade facilitation, climate change, terrorism and cybercrime” he remarked. He observed that enhanced cultural exchanges, educational collaborations, and interfaith dialogues can strengthen understanding, solidarity and regional harmony.
As a strategic link between South, Central, and West Asia, Pakistan is committed to fostering regional peace, economic connectivity, and sustainable development through active engagement at regional multilateral forums like the APA, SCO and ECO, Chairman Senate added. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Mr. Gilani said, remains central to strengthening regional infrastructure and economic integration.
He informed that counter-terrorism, intelligence-sharing, and regional peace initiatives are key priorities. “Pakistan leads regional sustainability efforts through afforestation programs, disaster resilience strategies, and transnational energy projects”, Leader of Pakistan and Parliamentary delegation observed. He said that parliamentary cooperation is essential in addressing climate change, water security, and clean energy transitions. He also advocated for robust cybersecurity frameworks to protect regional economies and societies.
He emphasized that APA provides us with an invaluable opportunity to establish legal frameworks, build consensus on regional policies, and undertake constructive dialogue that transcend political differences. He called for maximizing the impact of parliamentary engagement and developing structured mechanisms within APA to enhance legislative collaboration and policy alignment, bridge gaps and create consensus on pressing regional issues.
