Executive Council APA: Nayyer Bokhari calls for strong intra-regional partnerships in Asia

Chairman Senate of Pakistan and President Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) Syed Nayyer Bokhari has called a strong and mutually-beneficial regional integration a dire pre-requisite and prelude to the establishment of a fully representative and vibrant Asian parliament. This forum he said, can harness Asia's strengths which will create more benefits and opportunities.
He expressed these views in his address to Executive Council of APA in Geneva which was attended by representatives from Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Cyprus, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordon, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Russia, Sri Lanka and Syria.
"However, to make it all possible, first we must muster up a strong political will across the region at the governmental, political and parliamentary level to serve as a firm bed-rock to base our future initiatives on", he said.
Chairman Senate of Pakistan Syed Nayyer Bokhari appreciated the Asian Parliamentary Assembly on the successful holding of the 1st Troika-plus meeting earlier this year and asked for suggestions while reviewing the progress made by APA.
The President APA called the Executive Council meeting a continuation of APA's joint endeavours to tap the enormous potential of Asian continent for the betterment of its people. "This can be achieved by forging strong and enduring inter and intra-regional partnerships", Bokhari said.
Chairman Senate proposed to the Assembly in his address that Trade, Investment, Economy and Energy are the key areas to enhance co-operation in the region but also expressed that it is not possible without peace and stability. "It is for this cardinal reason that Pakistan believes in the promotion of peace and security in the region", he said.
In this context Chairman Senate told the Assembly about the progress of operation Zarb-e-Azb and stated Pakistan's commitment to bringing peace in the region.