Important players: German parliament chief for new formats of bilateral ties
Both countries have a lot in common, says Dr Norbert Lammert.
“[Democracy means] giving everybody an opportunity to pursue his ideas but expecting everybody to maintain the rules,” Lammert said. PHOTO: INP
ISLAMABAD:
Germany and Pakistan have an important role to play in their respective regions and both countries have to find new formats of bilateral cooperation.
President of the German Parliament Dr Norbert Lammert said this after the conclusion of a three-day visit to Pakistan on Friday.
Lammert, who is the second highest representative of Germany after its president, was invited to Pakistan by the National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
Lammert met with President Mamnoon Hussain, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed and representatives of the Pakistan-German Friendship Group of the lower house of parliament during his visit. He also met with members of the civil society to discuss the human rights issues.
Lammert has been the President of the lower house of the German parliament since 2005. He is politically affiliated with the Christian Democratic Union.
During his visit Lammert also delivered a lecture on “Parliament, Political Parties and Government: A Democratic Balance of Power” at the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS) auditorium on Wednesday.
In the lecture, organised by the German political foundation Konrad Adenaur-Stiftung in collaboration with the PIPS, Lammert said Pakistan and Germany belong to different regions, continents and cultures but still have a lot in common.
He said both countries have to find new formats for cooperation and play an active role in their regions. “Germany and Pakistan have to play a prominent role in their regions,” Lammert said.
He said democracy was a system not to avoid conflict but to deal with it.
“[Democracy means] giving everybody an opportunity to pursue his ideas but expecting everybody to maintain the rules,” Lammert said.
After the lecture, the convener of the National Assembly’s Pakistan-German Friendship Group MNA Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah of Pakistan People’s Party said Lammert’s visit will be a watershed for Pak-Germany relations.
Lammert also visited Lahore where he met the Imam of the Badshahi Mosque Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad and other religious scholars. He also held meetings with the Archbishop of the Sacred Heart Cathedral Sebastian Francis Shaw and representatives of Catholic and protestant churches.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 3rd, 2014.
Germany and Pakistan have an important role to play in their respective regions and both countries have to find new formats of bilateral cooperation.
President of the German Parliament Dr Norbert Lammert said this after the conclusion of a three-day visit to Pakistan on Friday.
Lammert, who is the second highest representative of Germany after its president, was invited to Pakistan by the National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
Lammert met with President Mamnoon Hussain, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed and representatives of the Pakistan-German Friendship Group of the lower house of parliament during his visit. He also met with members of the civil society to discuss the human rights issues.
Lammert has been the President of the lower house of the German parliament since 2005. He is politically affiliated with the Christian Democratic Union.
During his visit Lammert also delivered a lecture on “Parliament, Political Parties and Government: A Democratic Balance of Power” at the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS) auditorium on Wednesday.
In the lecture, organised by the German political foundation Konrad Adenaur-Stiftung in collaboration with the PIPS, Lammert said Pakistan and Germany belong to different regions, continents and cultures but still have a lot in common.
He said both countries have to find new formats for cooperation and play an active role in their regions. “Germany and Pakistan have to play a prominent role in their regions,” Lammert said.
He said democracy was a system not to avoid conflict but to deal with it.
“[Democracy means] giving everybody an opportunity to pursue his ideas but expecting everybody to maintain the rules,” Lammert said.
After the lecture, the convener of the National Assembly’s Pakistan-German Friendship Group MNA Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah of Pakistan People’s Party said Lammert’s visit will be a watershed for Pak-Germany relations.
Lammert also visited Lahore where he met the Imam of the Badshahi Mosque Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad and other religious scholars. He also held meetings with the Archbishop of the Sacred Heart Cathedral Sebastian Francis Shaw and representatives of Catholic and protestant churches.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 3rd, 2014.