AsiaNet-Pakistan Premier Editorial Content and Press Release Distribution Service
Islamabad, August 31, 2012 (PPI-OT): Australian Parliamentary delegation led by Senator John Hogg, President of Australian Senate called on Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf at Prime Minister’s House this morning.
Senator Hogg on behalf of his delegation thanked the Government and people of Pakistan for the hospitality extended to them during their visit to Pakistan.
The purpose of visit, the Senator said was to learn from experience of the Pakistani Parliamentarians in dealing with their constituents in an era of revolutionary changes in Information Technology and social media which are placing increasing and challenging demands on members of Parliament.
Senator Hogg said that Australians are faced with tyranny of distance as they have to travel long distances to meet people. There is no alternative to face to face contacts and to develop personal relations, said the Senator.
The Senator said that jointly we have to work to strengthen democracy because it stands for freedom and the rights of individual.
Senator Hogg said that they were looking forward to the visit of Chairman Senate Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari to Australia to return the hospitality extended to them in Pakistan.
Senator Hogg said that Pakistan and Australia enjoy close relationship. Pakistan, he said has an important role to play in the stability of the region.
Senator Hogg informed the Prime Minister that the visiting delegation would travel to Afghanistan and meet the Parliamentarians there as well. He also informed the Prime Minister that the delegation’s interaction with the Parliamentarians and other sections of society in Pakistan remained fruitful and they got first hand knowledge of ground realities in Pakistan.
The Prime Minister thanked the delegation for visiting Pakistan and applauded their resolve to strengthen Parliamentary relations between both the countries.
The Prime Minister said that Australia is an important development partner of Pakistan and we value this relationship. “We are thankful for Australia’s timely generous assistance for relief against floods”, said the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan is very keen to promote commerce and trade relations with Australia. He informed the visiting delegation that there are great investment opportunities in Pakistan especially in coal and power generations.
The Prime Minister said that Australia is a choice destination of Pakistani students for higher education. He thanked the Australian government for providing generous scholarships for Pakistani students.
The Prime Minister also said that the exchange of Parliamentary delegations would pave the way for further strengthening the relationship between both the countries.
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan is facing the scourge of terrorism and is fighting as a front line state to eliminate this menace.
The Australian Parliamentary delegation included Mr. Timothy Spencer Geroge, High Commissioner of Australia, Senator Sean Edwards, Mr. Nick Champion, Senator David Johnstaon, Mr. Graham Perrett, Ms. Jill Hall, Ms. Julia Cliffort and Ms. Melissa Kelly.
Senator Sabir Baloch, Acting Chairman Senate Mir. Israr Ullah Zehari Minister for National Food Security, Senator Haji Muhammad Adeel, Senator Nesreen Jalil, and Senator Usman Saifullah Khan represented the Pakistani delegation.
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