Steps urged to make S Asia free trade region
KARACHI - The 4th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
of South Asia conference started in the business-hub city on Tuesday,
highlighting the need for bold steps to make South Asia a free trade
region.
It was the first opportunity for the Sindh Assembly to host the regional event, being attended by parliamentary delegations from Sri Lanka as well as other states.
National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza opened the conference. Making the inaugural speech to the parliamentary delegations, Fehmida highlighted the issues of terrorism, poverty, health and women empowerment. She called for “bold steps” to remove the lacunas hindering South Asia’s formation as a “free trade region”.
She also spoke about the lack of meaningful cooperation among South Asian countries which, according to her, was one of the major factors behind the brewing poverty and unemployment in the region. “These problems have grown intolerance and violent behaviour and gave an opportunity for fanning an extremist mindset,” Fehmida said, observing that the way Sri Lanka dealt with the menace of terrorism was a model for other countries. Pakistan had, said the NA speaker, paid heavy price for eliminating terrorism. “Thirty-five thousand civilians and troops have been killed, besides lawmakers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and former premier Benazir Bhutto.”
She also commended the sacrifices being rendered by the military, saying the country’s parliament adopted a 3Ds (deterrence, dialogue and development) policy to offer alternatives to the masses in the war against terror.
Fehmida also said that for its commendable efforts for women empowerment, Bangladesh was a role model for other counties in the region.
She informed the participants that at least 24 laws for children and women had been adopted by the country’s Parliament.
Fehmida, who is the first woman speaker of the lower house, termed the Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2010, as a landmark legislation that paved the way for a secured working environment for women. It had also encouraged young girls to enter into a professional life with confidence, she added.
In his speech, Sri Lankan Parliament Speaker Chamal Rajapakshe emphasised the need for developing a joint mechanism for “sustainable social economy”. In his opinion, gender disparity and women harassment were big issues in the region that required a comprehensive resolution. He suggested that the regional countries should support each other’s legitimate rights. Rajapakshe also applauded Bangladesh for its practical steps for women empowerment.
The regional event of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association was also attended by the speakers and legislators of all the four provinces, Gilgit Baltistan and Kashmir.
In his welcome address, Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said this was the first time that Pakistan was hosting the conference of elected parliaments of the region. He noted that the conflicts left unsettled in the Colonial-era led to a higher military spending, higher budgetary deficits, larger borrowings and huge debt servicing costs that made it difficult to invest in the social sector.
Khuhro also called for removing trade barriers and travel restrictions. He stressed for joint measures to tackle the issues facing the regional countries, besides taking measures to ease trading and travelling in the region. He held military rulers responsible for spreading extremism and terrorism in Pakistan. “Whenever the military toppled a democratically-elected government, they put extremist forces as against them,” added Khuhro.
A senior parliamentarian from the ANP, Senator Haji Adeel Khan, called for setting up a common South Asian parliament on the pattern of the European Union. Adeel also proposed that a regional court be established to settle disputes among the South Asian countries. Later, SA Speaker Nisar Khuhro told the media that delegates from Bangladesh and Maldives could not attend the conference due to recent political developments there.
Meanwhile, the strategy to tackle the harassment of women at the workplace and other public places will be discussed on the second day (today) of the conference.
It was the first opportunity for the Sindh Assembly to host the regional event, being attended by parliamentary delegations from Sri Lanka as well as other states.
National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza opened the conference. Making the inaugural speech to the parliamentary delegations, Fehmida highlighted the issues of terrorism, poverty, health and women empowerment. She called for “bold steps” to remove the lacunas hindering South Asia’s formation as a “free trade region”.
She also spoke about the lack of meaningful cooperation among South Asian countries which, according to her, was one of the major factors behind the brewing poverty and unemployment in the region. “These problems have grown intolerance and violent behaviour and gave an opportunity for fanning an extremist mindset,” Fehmida said, observing that the way Sri Lanka dealt with the menace of terrorism was a model for other countries. Pakistan had, said the NA speaker, paid heavy price for eliminating terrorism. “Thirty-five thousand civilians and troops have been killed, besides lawmakers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and former premier Benazir Bhutto.”
She also commended the sacrifices being rendered by the military, saying the country’s parliament adopted a 3Ds (deterrence, dialogue and development) policy to offer alternatives to the masses in the war against terror.
Fehmida also said that for its commendable efforts for women empowerment, Bangladesh was a role model for other counties in the region.
She informed the participants that at least 24 laws for children and women had been adopted by the country’s Parliament.
Fehmida, who is the first woman speaker of the lower house, termed the Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2010, as a landmark legislation that paved the way for a secured working environment for women. It had also encouraged young girls to enter into a professional life with confidence, she added.
In his speech, Sri Lankan Parliament Speaker Chamal Rajapakshe emphasised the need for developing a joint mechanism for “sustainable social economy”. In his opinion, gender disparity and women harassment were big issues in the region that required a comprehensive resolution. He suggested that the regional countries should support each other’s legitimate rights. Rajapakshe also applauded Bangladesh for its practical steps for women empowerment.
The regional event of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association was also attended by the speakers and legislators of all the four provinces, Gilgit Baltistan and Kashmir.
In his welcome address, Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said this was the first time that Pakistan was hosting the conference of elected parliaments of the region. He noted that the conflicts left unsettled in the Colonial-era led to a higher military spending, higher budgetary deficits, larger borrowings and huge debt servicing costs that made it difficult to invest in the social sector.
Khuhro also called for removing trade barriers and travel restrictions. He stressed for joint measures to tackle the issues facing the regional countries, besides taking measures to ease trading and travelling in the region. He held military rulers responsible for spreading extremism and terrorism in Pakistan. “Whenever the military toppled a democratically-elected government, they put extremist forces as against them,” added Khuhro.
A senior parliamentarian from the ANP, Senator Haji Adeel Khan, called for setting up a common South Asian parliament on the pattern of the European Union. Adeel also proposed that a regional court be established to settle disputes among the South Asian countries. Later, SA Speaker Nisar Khuhro told the media that delegates from Bangladesh and Maldives could not attend the conference due to recent political developments there.
Meanwhile, the strategy to tackle the harassment of women at the workplace and other public places will be discussed on the second day (today) of the conference.
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