ISLAMABAD/ TOKYO: Chairman Japan-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship League and Member of Japanese Parliament Seishiro Eto has said that Japan takes pride in its relations with Pakistan and relationship between the two is on a positive trajectory.
He said this in a meeting with three member delegation of high ranking officials of the Senate led by Secretary Senate Amjed Pervez Malik, currently on a four-day study visit to Japan, in Tokyo.
The Japanese member of parliament said that Pakistan and Japan had a shared vision aimed at regional prosperity and development.
He also recalled his recent visit to Pakistan in which he held meetings with different high ranking government functionaries including a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“I will inform the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe about the outcome of the visit and meetings with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and other parliamentary leaders to explore new avenues of cooperation,” said Eto while exchanging views with the Pakistani delegation.
He said that such exchanges would provide an opportunity to explore new vistas of cooperation. Eto said that he praised the development in Pakistan and underscored the need for more close collaboration at different levels to create an understanding on issues and further consolidate institutional linkages.
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Secretary Senate Amjed Pervez Malik said that Pakistan highly valued its bilateral relations with Japan and there was dire need to explore new avenues of cooperation and work together to strengthen parliamentary linkages through frequent exchanges at parliamentary and other levels.
The secretary Senate was accompanied by Advisor Senate Justice (Retd) Muhammad Raza Khan and Deputy Secretary Senate Abdul Fattah Ujjan.
Amjed Pervez Malik said that Japan and Pakistan had historically enjoyed cordial relations and both sides attached high importance to relations at state, government, parliament and people to people levels.
He said that institutional linkages would provide further impetus to friendly ties between Islamabad Tokyo and the respective friendship groups had to play a vibrant role in this regard.
The secretary Senate observed that there was huge scope in business and tourism and both sides needed to exploit the potential of those areas for mutual benefit. He said that ground realities had changed in Pakistan and travel advisories needed to be reviewed to give boost to tourism and business sectors.
“The newly elected leadership and the parliament as a whole is eager to further expand ties in multiple sectors and both the countries need to work with a new resolve and commitment to strengthen cooperation,” he said.
The chairman of Japan-Pakistan Friendship League welcomed the delegation. Earlier, the delegation participated in a discussion on share experiences about parliamentary and legislative procedures.
Amjed Malik has said that the Senate of Pakistan, under the patronage of the chairman Senate, had taken some bold steps to provide indigenous legislative drafting facilities to the members and all out efforts were being made to inject more professionalism through capacity development and introduction of new mechanisms to strengthen the existing systems.
He said this during his presentation to his counterparts in the House of Representatives of Japanese Parliament.
The secretary Senate said that the Senate of Pakistan had devised a vibrant plan to improve institutional efficiency and provide excellent services to the members of Parliament. He informed that the Senate is a House of Federation and is playing an effective role in national integration and promoting provincial harmony.
During his presentation, Amjed Pervez Malik gave a detailed overview of the parliamentary scheme and procedures and the role being played by the Senate.
Amjed Pervez said that the purpose of establishment of Legislative Drafting Unit was to provide a structured support to the members of Senate as the trend of Private Member Bills was on the rise. He said that development of linkages with the International Parliaments having established structures of legislative/drafting facilities for the MPs could prove to be beneficial.
Participants applauded the detailed presentation of the Secretary Senate and his remarks on enhancing institutional collaboration to build in-house pool of professionals to assist the members in legislative functions.
They hoped that institutional linkages between the Parliament of Pakistan and Japan would go a long way and make joint efforts to achieve institutional excellence in all sectors.
The delegation also visited the library and other important wings of the Japanese parliament.
