Senator Sehar Kamran (President CPGS) in Afghanistan for first ever Pakistan-Afghanistan Defence Committees’ Dialogue
The Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production, under the leadership of Honourable Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, has departed for Kabul today to take part in a first-ever Pakistan-Afghanistan Defence Committees’ Dialogue. The dialogue, the first of its kind, has been facilitated by PILDAT as part of its Pakistan-Afghanistan Parliamentarians’ Exchange and will span over September 10-11, 2013 in Kabul, Afghanistan.
The Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production of the Senate of Pakistan will engage with its counterpart Defence, Internal Security and Local Administration Committee of the Meshrano Jirga of Afghanistan Parliament.
The Pakistan delegation that left for Kabul today includes Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman, Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production, Senator Sehar Kamran, Member, Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production. Senator Afrasiab Khattak, Convener, Pakistan-Afghanistan Parliamentary Friendship Group, Senate of Pakistan & Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights, Senator Begum Najma Hameed, Member Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control, Senator Dr. Muhammad Jehangir Bader, Member, Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan and Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani, MNA; Chairman, Council of Islamic Ideology and former member of the Senate Defence Committee are also part of the delegation and of the dialogue as special invitees. Mr. Ajmal Khan Wazir, Senior Vice President, PML will also join the dialogue as observer.
Two eminent journalists includingMr. Azeem Siddiqui, Bureasu Cheif, Khyber TV, and Khawaja Zahid Yaqoob, Chief Reporter, NNI, have been invited to join the delegation as observers while Mr. Muhammad Hasan Khan, Additional Secretary, Senate of Pakistan and Mr. Muhammad Riaz Khan, Secretary to Chairman Defence Committee, will represent the Senate Secretariat. A PILDAT Team comprising Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, President, Mr. Hammal Dostain, Projects Manager, Ms. Aimen Khan, Projects Manager, and Mr. Abid Khan, Projects Officer, are also accompanying the delegation.
Senator Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, former Prime Minister of Pakistan and member Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production, Senator Haji Mohammed Adeel, Chairman Senate Foreign Affairs Committee and member Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production andSenator Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate of Pakistan will also be part of the Dialogue by departing for Kabul on September 10.
The two Defence Committees will review the security issues and discuss defence cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Existing and emerging challenges in Pak-Afghan relations, cross-border terrorism and border management issues, etc. are also part of the agenda as determined by MPs from both sides.