ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly of Pakistan has got observer status in the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), says an official handout issued by the NA Secretariat here on Tuesday.

The approval to grant the observer status to Pakistan’s National Assembly was granted during the 42nd AIPA General Assembly meeting held in Brunei Darrusalam.

The AIPA comprises the parliaments of the 10 Asean member countries as well as 16 observer parliaments which now include the National Assembly of Pakistan.

The Asean comprises Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Veitnam.

The AIPA aims at encouraging understanding, cooperation and close relations among its member parliaments and observer member parliaments and parliamtary organisations.

With the presence of parliaments, including Australia, Canada, China, Japan and the European Parliament, Pakistan will tremendously benefit from the AIPA by fostering its bilateral and multilateral ties with the parliaments of the region and beyond through the AIPA platform.

The National Assembly of Pakistan has been seeking observer status at the AIPA since 2017. However, with the continued and effective parliamentary diplomacy and contacts under the leadership of Speaker Asad Qaiser, the National Assembly of Pakistan succeeded in altering guidelines of the AIPA in its favour and remained successful in acquisition of observer status, concludes the handout.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2022