The 7th plenary session of Asian Parliamentary Assembly on “Quest for Asian Parliament in Asian Century” commenced on Monday.
On first day of the 3-day session, the second APA Executive Council meeting attended by representatives of 25 out of 41 member countries of the APA and conducted by APA Organising Committee Chairman and Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed was held at a local hotel.
In the political assembly of the session, several historical decisions were made in which approval of suggestions about the headquarters of the committee for the Asian Parliament was included.
The APA Executive Council presented 19 draft resolutions and approved with some amendments on several issues including women rights, cooperation, common currency, terrorism, regional peace, energy problems, financial affairs, environmental issues, poverty, culture, health, information and communication technology, protection of rights of migrant workers, corruption, interfaith harmony, legal cooperation and illicit drug trafficking.
Earlier, Senate former chairman Farooq H Naek delivered a welcome statement and expressed his hope for fruitful progressive achievements in the upcoming session.
APA acting Secretary General Dr Masoud Islami thanked the participants and senate of Pakistan for organising the assembly.
Later, talking to journalists, Mushahid said that cause of the APA was to promote parliamentary values, betterment in the parliamentary system in the member countries, work for the establishment of the Asian Parliament which would provide a forum like European Union.
He said credit went to Pakistan that it gave the suggestion to form an Asian Parliament like it played a key role in the establishment of the APA.
He said the headquarters of the special committee for constitution of Asian Parliament was approved by the members at Islamabad. It is also a credit for Pakistan that Senate Chairman Nayyer Hussain Bokhari was elected the APA president for next two years.
