ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq was unanimously elected vice chairman of the 11th General Assembly of the Parliamentary Union of the Islamic Countries (Gapuic), according to a statement received from Baghdad on Monday.

Gapuic was jointly inaugurated in Baghdad by Iraqi President Fuad Masum and Prime Minister Haider Jawad Kadhim Al Abadi.

While proposing Mr Sadiq’s name, Speaker of Iranian parliament Dr Ali Larijani paid rich tribute to Pakistan’s struggle against terrorism and efforts of its leadership to unite the Ummah.

The motion was endorsed unanimously by speakers and heads of delegations from 32 countries attending the moot.

Mr Sadiq held meetings with the speakers of Iran, Kuwait and Somalia as well as parliamentarians from Egypt, Palestine, Afghanistan and Kurd autonomous region.

During his meeting with the speaker of the Kuwaiti National Assembly, Marzouq Al Ghanim, Mr Sadiq called for unity and reconciliation in the Ummah.

The meeting took notice of the deteriorating situation of the Middle East. Mr Al Ghanim praised the initiative made by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to bridge the gap between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2016