Daily Times

National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has said that Pakistan attached high value to its exceptional relations with United Arab Emirates and wishes to further take them to new heights.

He further said that Pakistan is thankful to the government of UAE for its support in time of need. He said this while talking to UAE Ambassador Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi at the Parliament House on Thursday.

Asad Qaiser said that UAE and Pakistan were tied in eternal bonds of religion, culture and history; therefore, steps may be taken for further solidifying the existing brotherly relations between the two countries. He stressed the need to enhance interaction between parliamentarians and business communities of both the countries. He said that Pak-UAE Parliamentary Friendship Group would be shortly established in the National Assembly which needs to be reciprocated in the UAE Federal Council as well.

The UAE ambassador congratulated Qaiser on his election as the speaker of the NA. Appreciating the sentiments, the ambassador said that his country also attaches immense importance to its relations with Pakistan and would keep on extending its support in time of need.

He said that his country would utilise huge economic potential in Pakistan for mutual benefit of both the nations. He said that interaction between parliamentarians and business communities would strengthen relations between two countries.

The Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran Speaker Ali Larijani also on Thursday telephoned Qaiser and congratulated him on his election as National Assembly speaker.

The NA speaker thanked Ali Larijani and urged upon the need for close contacts between the parliaments of both the countries for cementing bilateral relations.

He said that close contacts between Pakistan and Iran were imperative for peace and stability of the region.

Larijani termed the peaceful transition of power in Pakistan a good omen for strengthening democratic institutions in the country and expressed the hope that newly elected NA speaker would play significant role to enhance the relations between the Parliament of both brotherly countries.

Larijani invited Qaiser to visit Iran.

Published in Daily Times, August 17^th 2018.