SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians, on Tuesday, identified terrorism as the biggest challenge to democracy in South Asia and stressed the need for parliaments to play a proactive role in comprehensively addressing this issue.
MPs from the world’s most densely populated regions, also stressed on the need for making joint efforts to overcome emerging challenges including food security and the attainment of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
They pressed for an evolving comprehensive strategy from concerned quarters to tackle with climate change and related risks, chronic poverty and growing inequality, unbridled population growth, unplanned urbanization, the global financial crisis and other problems.
Parliamentarians underlined these serious threats to progress and promotion of a vibrant democracy. They said that owing to their inter-connected nature, these problems required a holistic approach on a regional level.
SAARC MPs sought greater parliamentary oversight in this important area and called for establishing parliamentary committees on MDGs, as had been done in the National Assembly of Pakistan.
They expressed full consensus on jointly addressing challenges through closer inter-parliamentary cooperation at the SAARC level.
While speaking at the concluding session of the 6th Conference of Association of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians, participants were of the viewpoint that all regional countries were facing the same challenges and their solution was also the same.
Dr Fehmida Mirza expressed hope that the six sessions of the General Assembly had carried out useful discussions on themes of the conference.
Around 18 members spoke on the topic of ‘Meaningful Participatory Democracy Parliament’s Affirmative Actions’, while 17 members took part in deliberations on ‘Targeting Food Security for the Region: Parliament’s Role in Accomplishing Millennium Development Goals’.
She said that wisdom and foresight, reflected in their respective keynotes to this conference, had enabled the discussions to remain focused and mutually beneficial.
Moreover, she said that the acceptance of the idea by the Speakers’ Council, to institute a Women’s Committee of the Association, was a historic landmark. It had not only given shape to the long-cherished desire for a regional network of female legislators, but had also set the course for the association’s possible future expansion in other areas of mutual cooperation.
“In addition, the discussions have also revealed a strong agreement on strengthening the political parties’ structures at all levels, while calls were also made for greater parliamentary interventions in addressing issues of corruption, class-divide and trends of rising intolerance in South Asia” she said.
She observed that in the realm of food security, it was noted by the worthy delegates, that although SAARC Food Security Bank had been established in 2007, the pace of its progress had remained far too slow. A combined parliamentary political intervention had been recommended to give it a boost. The proposal of a regional agenda for cooperation in research and sharing of agriculture and forest technology was also another important suggestion.
While speaking on the motion for a vote of thanks, other speakers including Abdul Hamid, Speaker of the Jatiyo Sansad of the Republic of Bangladesh, Jig-May Tshul-tim, Speaker of the National Assembly of Bhutan, Smt. Meera Kumar, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Republic of India, Abdulla Shahid, Speaker of the People’s Majlis of the Republic of the Maldives and others paid strong gratitude to the government and the people of Pakistan, who had extended hospitality of the highest level during their stay.
Abdulla Shahid, Speaker of the People’s Majlis of the Republic of the Maldives moved the motion for a vote of thanks to Dr Fehmida for hosting the conference in an organized manner. Speakers from other participating countries seconded the motion which was adopted unanimously.
They paid tribute to President Asif Ali Zardari for inaugurating the conference and Dr Fehmida and her staff for their untiring efforts in making the event a success.
