Islamabad: A 15-member multi-party
delegation of Indian parliamentarians on Monday arrived in
Pakistan to participate in a dialogue with their Pakistani
counterparts on efforts to boost trade and economic relations
between the two countries.
The third round of the Pakistan-India Parliamentarians
Dialogue facilitated by the Pakistan Institute of Legislative
Development (PILDAT) will be held during January 17-18 here.
Islamabad: A 15-member multi-party
delegation of Indian parliamentarians on Monday arrived in
Pakistan to participate in a dialogue with their Pakistani
counterparts on efforts to boost trade and economic relations
between the two countries.
The third round of the Pakistan-India Parliamentarians
Dialogue facilitated by the Pakistan Institute of Legislative
Development (PILDAT) will be held during January 17-18 here.
The two earlier rounds of dialogue were held in Islamabad
and New Delhi last year.
PILDAT said it had undertaken the initiative for the
dialogue to enhance the role of parliamentary diplomacy in
Pakistan's relations with countries in the region.
"Given South Asian regional relations, it is imperative,
therefore, that parliamentarians from India and Pakistan
engage in parliamentary diplomacy that can increase mutual
understanding and improve respective parliamentary scrutiny of
governmental foreign policies," the statement said.
Parliamentarians from both countries can play a key role
in facilitating dialogue and conflict resolution on mutually
acceptable and advantageous considerations, PILDAT said.
"They have a clout with official circles, local
influentials and their constituents, which they can use to
urge their respective governments and political parties to
work towards building normal and peaceful relations and
engaging in regular dialogue for addressing contentious
issues," it said.
India and Pakistan resumed their peace process last year
after a gap of over two years following the 2008 Mumbai
attacks that were blamed on the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba
terror group.
PTI
First Published: Monday, January 16, 2012, 21:49