Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on Wednesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to promoting regional peace, economic connectivity, and sustainable development through active engagement in multilateral forums such as the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). While addressing the plenary session of the APA in Baku, Azerbaijan, he said that peace, democracy, human rights, and sustainable development are shared ideals. He highlighted that the APA serves as a vital platform for pursuing these common goals, transforming it into a true institutional voice of the Asian Century. The Chairman said that global landscape continues to evolve and Asia remains at the center of geo-economic transformation, security concerns, and geopolitical realignments. Gilani said that parliamentary diplomacy serves as a bridge that connects diverse nations and political systems in pursuit of common interests. “It enables us to address pressing regional issues and challenges, including economic integration, trade facilitation, climate change, terrorism and cybercrime” he said. He observed that enhanced cultural exchanges, educational collaborations, and interfaith dialogues can strengthen understanding, solidarity and regional harmony. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Gilani said, remains central to strengthening regional infrastructure and economic integration. He informed that counterterrorism, intelligence-sharing, and regional peace initiatives are key priorities. “Pakistan leads regional sustainability efforts through afforestation programs, disaster resilience strategies, and transnational energy projects”, Leader of Pakistan and Parliamentary delegation observed. He said that parliamentary cooperation is essential in addressing climate change, water security, and clean energy transitions. He also advocated for robust cybersecurity frameworks to protect regional economies and societies. He said that APA provides us with an invaluable opportunity to establish legal frameworks, build consensus on regional policies, and undertake constructive dialogue that transcends political differences. He called for maximizing the impact of parliamentary engagement and developing structured mechanisms within APA to enhance legislative collaboration and policy alignment, bridge gaps and create consensus on pressing regional issues. A stronger Asia requires inclusive governance, the Chairman said, adding, “We must actively promote the participation of women and young legislators in diplomatic forums, ensuring diverse perspectives in decision-making. He also extended complete support to the Sultanate of Oman’s request for full membership in APA and also endorsed Belarus’s request for observer status to foster inclusive parliamentary engagement. He hoped that this 15th APA Plenary meeting would help synthesize mutually agreeable and acceptable solutions to all issues placed on its agenda. He acknowledged and commended Azerbaijan for remarkable stewardship of APA during its Presidency and extended gratitude to hosts on the exceptional hospitality and excellent arrangements in organizing important gathering.