October 3, 2003	Friday	Sha’aban 6, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 2: China has invited parliamentarians from Pakistan to participate in the two regional Parliamentary Forums scheduled to be held in China in October 2003 and January 2004.

This was stated by vice chairman of the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress Xu Jialu, who is leading his country’s delegation to the 109th Inter Parliamentary Union Assembly at Geneva and called on Senate chairman Mohammedmian Soomro, according to a message received here from Geneva.

During the meeting, they discussed matters of mutual interest and explored means to further strengthen the Pakistan- China parliamentary relations. The leader of Chinese delegation underlined the need for more parliamentary exchanges between the two countries.

The Senate chairman, while talking to the Chinese delegation, termed the relations between the two countries exemplary in all fields, including legislature. He said Pakistan- China Parliamentary Friendship Group had already been constituted and it would give impetus to the already established friendly ties.

Mr Soomro extended an invitation to the Chinese Parliamentarians attending IPU Assembly and informed the team leader that his counterpart in China was scheduled to visit Pakistan in December this year.

The members of the Pakistan Parliamentary delegation and the Chinese Parliamentary team were also present during the meeting. Pakistan’s ambassador to Switzerland and Chinese envoy to Switzerland assisted the two sides.

During a meeting of the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments, a consultative organ of the Inter Parliamentary Union, on Thursday, Senate secretary Shahid Iqbal underlined the need for evolving a suitable strategy for taking up human rights issues in the parliaments. He also highlighted the mechanism for consideration of the issues in the parliaments.

He said the Senate of Pakistan was one of the first legislatures, which took note of this particular issue and established a Functional Committee on Human Rights, which was one of the most active committees of the parliament taking note of human rights violations.