Pakistani senators to attend APPCED in Malaysia

ISLAMABAD: A nine-member Pakistani delegation headed by Deputy Chairman Senate, Mir Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali will attend 15th General Assembly of the Asia Pacific Parliamentarians' Conference on Environment and Development (APPCED) being held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from June 7-9.

Mir Jan Muhammad Jamali will also present a country report at the plenary session on June 7 on the theme 'Climate Change and Tourism'.

The delegates include Senator Saeeda Iqbal, Senator Rehmatullah Kakar, Senator Abdur Rashid, Senator Kalsoom Parveen, Anusha Rehman MNA and Junaid Anwar Chaudhary MNA.

The delegation will attend inaugural session wherein Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Malaysia will deliver his opening and keynote address followed by a day-long plenary session wherein each participant country including Pakistan will present a country report.

The delegation will follow a hectic schedule on second day of the session and will attend the presentations made by Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Malaysia, United Nations World Tourism Organization ( UNWTO ) and Korean Culture and Tourism Institute on Environment and Climate change.

The delegation will also grace the closing session held in the evening wherein Hon. Hwang, Woo-Yea, President of APPCED and Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang, President of the Senate, Malaysia will deliver their closing speeches and later Kuala Lumpur declaration will be adopted.

On the third day, the delegation with other participant countries will visit Banghuris Homestay near Kuala Lumpur, and will be briefed on Homestay tourism program. The delegation will also attend a tree plantation ceremony and will visit coffee plantation, crackers processing factory, and would take a tour around Putrajaya, the administrative capital of Malaysia.

Parliamentarians from 46 countries are expected to attend. The countries which have confirmed their participation include Canada, Korea, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Nepal, Solomon Island and Maldives.

The APPCED was established in June 1993 and is designed to provide ample opportunities to share ideas, experiences and policies in order to enhance legislative activities for sustainable development within its member parliaments.

The aim of APPCED is to stress the importance of environmental protection and the maintenance of ecological balance throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011