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Senate Foreign Relations Committee has been working and discussing important matters to promote and strengthen the democratic process in the country by establishing strong working of the parliamentary committees.
This was stated by Chairman Foreign Relations Committee Mushahid Hussain Sayed while talking to newsmen here at Parliament House on Thursday.
Senator Mushahid while releasing performance report of the committee said ever since its election in April 2004, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has functioned as a cohesive team with a national, bipartisan approach on foreign policy issues.
He said during this period, the committee has set up some new precedents in the functioning of the committee system in Pakistan's parliamentary history.
Mushahid said an effective and active committee system is vital for the accountability of the government and for promoting and strengthening of institutionalisation of the democratic process.
He said the Foreign Relations Committee, in the last 22 months, organised 30 events, including 20 meetings, published 10 reports and arranged 2 overseas visits of the committee members.
Mushahid said among the new precedents, which are the "first" in country's parliamentary history included open public hearings in the presence of media on issues of foreign policy. He said the committee invited non-governmental independent experts to give their inputs at hearings of the committee.
He said for the first time in Pakistan's parliamentary history a parliamentary committee has been issuing regular reports and established its 'website'.
He said the committee has an internship programme and it has established its own library in its office without any government funds and with the help and co-operation of NGOs.
Mushahid said the approach of the committee has been above party politics, and helped to inject an institutional character to the committee.
During the forthcoming period, he said, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will continue to be active in promoting an informed debate on issues pertaining to foreign affairs.
Among the steps taken by the committee, he said, these have been helpful in educating parliamentarians, public opinion and the press.
He said the committee was the first to invite Pakistani journalists, who visited Indian occupied Kashmir, for a hearing and it took the unprecedented initiative of inviting ambassadors of African countries for a meeting and this has resulted in publication of first report on Pakistan-Africa relations with specific policy recommendations.
The committee's work has also helped the humanitarian cause of releasing prisoners jailed in India which took place after the Foreign Relations Committee raised this issue in open public hearing in August 2005, he added.
Mushahid said the committee held meetings on various issues including war on terror, general elections in India, situation in occupied Kashmir, Pakistan-Africa relations and Pakistan-UK relations along with reports on Global & Regional Scenario in the aftermath of 9/11, general elections in India, enlightened moderation - the post 9/11 scenario, occupied Kashmir and relations with India, visit to Germany, Belgium and the UK, Pakistan and the OIC, report of the Parliamentary Committee on Balochistan, Pak-Africa Relations, Pakistan-UK relations and report on the visit to Japan and South Korea.
Senator Mushahid said members of the committee and staff contributed in a positive way to prepare the reports and organise discussions by the committee.
He said the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate would continue its efforts to promote democratic culture in the country through open discussion on all the important issues and through participation of members from all parties.

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2006

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