The Canadian High Commissioner to Pakistan David B. Collins called on the Chairman Senate Mohammedmian Soomro here on Tuesday and exchanged views with him on matters of mutual interest with particular reference to exploring ways and means for expanding parliamentary linkages between the parliamentarians of the two countries.
In the meeting, the Chairman Senate underscored the need of greater interaction at the level of parliamentarians to their mutual advantage as both sides can learn from each other experiences. He said that February 18 elections brought about a sea change in Pakistan, which emerged as a potent force to reckon with.
The media, he said is helping people to evaluate the performance of the public representatives as well as respective governments truly in accordance with its assigned role in a democracy.
The Chairman Senate also apprised the Canadian High Commissioner of the salient features of the ongoing budget session and said that the provisions of the national budget are being debated purely on merit in both the Houses. He hoped that parliamentary debate would help improve and refine the suggestions for providing greater relief to the public.
Matters relating to the ongoing war on terror also came under discussion. Reaffirming the country's resolve to continue it efforts for combating terrorism, the Chairman called for a holistic approach to achieve the objective, taking into account the root causes of the menace like injustice and poverty.
The Canadian High Commissioner complimented the Chairman Senate on holding fair and transparent elections in February this year in his capacity as caretaker prime minister of the country.
He added that a majority of observers including those from Canada testified with the transparency and impartiality during polls. The two sides also discussed that finding and developing alternative sources of energy like wind, coal, sunlight etc, and said that these holds far greater importance today than it was ever before.