ISLAMABAD/TOKYO: Japan-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship League Chairman Seishiro Eto said on Friday that Japan takes pride in its relations with Pakistan and relationship between the two is on a positive trajectory.
In a meeting with a three-member delegation of high ranking officers of the senate led by Senate Secretary Amjad Parvez Malik, who is currently on a study visit to Japan, the Japanese parliamentarian said that Pakistan and Japan have 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 Japanese PM Shinzo Abe about the outcome of the visit and meetings with Imran Khan and other parliamentary leaders to explore new avenues of cooperation,” Seishiro Eto said while exchanging views with the Pakistani delegation.
He said that such exchanges would provide an opportunity to explore new vistas of cooperation. Eto praised 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.
Amjad Parvez Malik said that Pakistan highly values its bilateral relations with Japan and there is dire need to explore new avenues of cooperation and work together to strengthen parliamentary linkages through frequent exchanges at parliamentary and other levels. He said this during a meeting with Eto in Tokyo.
The senate secretary was accompanied by Senate Adviser Justice (r) Muhammad Raza Khan and Senate Deputy Secretary Abdul Fattah Ujjan. The delegation of officers of senate led by Parvez Malik on a four-day study visit to Japan has been sponsored by Inter-Parliamentary Union.
He said that Japan and Pakistan have historically enjoyed cordial relations and both sides attach 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 and Tokyo and the respective friendship groups have to play a vibrant role in this regard.
The senate secretary observed that there is huge scope in business and tourism and both sides need to exploit the potential of these areas for mutual benefit. He said that ground realities have changes in Pakistan and travel advisories need to be reviewed to give boost to tourism and business sectors.
“The newly elected leadership and the parliament as 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,” the senate secretary said.
The JPFL chairman welcomed the delegation. Earlier, the delegation participated in a discussion on shared experiences about parliamentary and legislative procedures. He has said that the senate, under the patronage of its chairman, has taken some bold steps to provide indigenous legislative drafting facilities to the members and all out efforts are being made to inject more professionalism through capacity development and introduction of new mechanisms to strengthen the existing systems. The senate secretary said this during his presentation to his counterparts in the House of Representatives of the Japanese parliament.
He said that the senate has 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, Malik gave a detailed overview of the parliamentary scheme and procedures and the role being played by the senate.
He said that the senate is playing a vibrant role under the dynamic leadership of Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani and that the elected leadership has a clear vision to enhance its efficiency and further improve its functioning through national and international collaborations.
He said that the senate, over the years, has emerged as an essential organ and a stabilising factor of the federation. He stressed for enhancing the capacity of the parliamentary staff through frequent exchanges.
Parvez said that the purpose of establishment of Legislative Drafting Unit (LDU) is to provide a structured support to senators as the trend of Private Member Bills is on the rise.
He said that development of linkages with international parliaments having established structures of legislative/drafting facilities for the MPs can prove to be beneficial.
He said that the visit would help in providing a mechanism to support LDU to develop drafting manual/instructions, enhance its capacity in translating the ideas of the senators into legislative proposals by drafting new laws or by proposing appropriate amendments in the existing laws.
Published in Daily Times, September 29th 2018.
