ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly will host the International Conference of Parliamentarians of Pakistani origin at the Parliament House on Monday.

The theme of the conference, to be inaugurated by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, is “Celebrating the Common Heritage: Democracy.”

Lawmakers of Pakistani origin representing legislatures around the world and members of the National Assembly and Senate have been invited to attend the conference.

Mr Sadiq is of the view that lawmakers of Pakistani origin can serve as a bridge between the East and the West and portray the true image of a peaceful, democratic and progressive Pakistan. Besides attending the conference, the visiting parliamentarians will witness the parade and attend other state functions being held in connection with Pakistan Day.

Prominent among the lawmakers who will attend the conference are Salma Ataullah Jan of the Canadian Senate, Norwegian Parliament’s member Chaudhry Khalid Mehmood, Welsh National Assembly (UK) member Mohammad Asghar, Shafiq Qadri of the Provincial Parliament of Etobicoke (Canada), European Parliament’s Sajjad Karim, Parliament of Brussels Capital Region (Belgium) lawmaker Dr Manzoor Zahoor Ellahi, Kenya Parliament’s Shakeel Shabbir Ahmad and former member of the House of Representatives of New Zealand Dr Ashraf Choudhary.

Published in Dawn March 23rd , 2015

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