NATO PARLIAMENTARIANS VISIT PAKISTAN

 
A delegation of the NATO PAÂ’s Political Committee visited Pakistan on 14-18 March on a fact-finding mission to learn about PakistanÂ’s security issues, including the situation in neighbouring Afghanistan.  This was the first visit ever of a NATO PA delegation to the country.
 
The legislators, led by Karl A. Lamers (Germany), Vice President of the NATO PA, held discussions with senior officials of the Pakistani government, including Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and the Minister of Foreign Minister, Kurshid Mehmood Kasuri, as well as and with the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff of the Pakistani Armed Forces, Gen. Ehsan ul Haq.  The 8-strong Assembly delegation also met with Mohammeddmian Soomro, Chairman of Pakistan Senate, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, as well as with other members of the Committee, and was briefed by independent Pakistani security experts. 
 
During the visit, both sides emphasised that Pakistan and NATO share a number of security concerns and common interests and that Pakistan has a fundamental interest in peace and stability in Afghanistan.  NATO Parliamentarians also said that it was important to strengthen PakistanÂ’s role as an ally against internationally active terrorist groups.  Pakistani interlocutors thanked the legislators for NATOÂ’s assistance in earthquake relief operations in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in northern Pakistan and Kashmir. 

 

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly, founded in 1955 with a Brussels-based secretariat,
brings together 248 national parliamentarians from the 26 NATO countries.
In addition, 13 associate delegations from Central and Eastern Europe, Ukraine and Russia;
4 Mediterranean Associate delegations: Morocco, Algeria, Jordan, Israel
and 8 Parliamentary Observer delegations participate in Assembly activities and meetings.