Gwadar APA ‘to promote regional peace’

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that convening the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) in Gwadar by the Senate is significant in bringing together the parliamentary leadership of several countries and promoting peace and prosperity in the region.

In a meeting with Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani on Friday, Qureshi said the participation of parliamentary representatives from Asia, Europe and Africa “is a welcoming sign that reflects their confidence in Pakistan's leadership”.



Sanjrani called Gwadar the future economic hub of the country and said the purpose of holding an international conference in the port city was to highlight its economic importance.

He pointed out that the meeting would promote Pakistan's soft image abroad, adding that all stakeholders were unanimous to spread the message of peace from a country with immense economic potential.



The Senate as the House of Federation is hosting a wide array of Asian parliamentary representatives at Gwadar in connection with committee meetings of APA from October 29 to 31.

The committee meetings will host parliamentary delegates from 26 Asian countries, including the Secretary General Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and deliberate on matters of mutual interest to Asian region in terms of political affairs, economic trade and other regional issues.