First Pakistani leader to make speech in Indian Parliament's Central Hall

New Delhi: National Assembly Speaker, Mrs Fehmida Mirza will be the first Pakistani leader to make a speech in Indian parliament's Central Hall when a four-day conference of lawmakers from eight SAARC member countries opens Saturday evening. Mrs Mirza, first woman speaker in the Muslim world, is a leading six-member Pakistani contingent at the 5th Summit Conference of Association of SAARC Speakers & Parliamentarians that will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Obama and other world leaders have addressed joint sessions of Indian MPs from both upper and lower houses. "As far as I can recall, no Pakistani leader, Prime Minister or President has ever spoken from Central Hall of parliament. Also, Central Hall is rarely used for international conferences. Such conferences usually take place in Vigyan Bhavan. Pakistan parliamentary delegation has three more women MPs -- Tasneem Siddiqui, Shahnaz Ali and Kashmala Tariq.

Prime Minister Singh will make an inaugural address, followed by addresses of speakers of national parliaments of other SAARC countries - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan & Sri Lanka, a statement from Lok Sabha Secretariat said. Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar will deliver welcome address in her capacity as President of the conference.

Themes chosen for discussions at conference are Consolidating Democracy, Strengthening trust between Parliament & People, and Sustainable Development in SAARC states - Way Forward. Nearly 130 delegates, observers from SAARC countries will attend the conference at Hotel Taj Mahal, New Delhi. Viewed as part of Track-II of diplomatic initiative between two countries, Pakistani parliamentarians are likely to meet members of Indian civil society.

It comes days before India & Pakistan foreign ministers meet July 27 in New Delhi. Association of SAARC Speakers & Parliamentarians was launched in 1992 to promote people-to-people contacts, interaction among parliaments, parliamentarians to deepen parliamentary democracy in South Asia.

This is for second time conference is hosted by India. Earlier, these were held in New Delhi, Islamabad, Dhaka & Colombo in 1995, 1997, 1999 & 2006. Delegates, who will also be taken on guided tour of Parliament House, visit Jaipur, Ajmer July 11.

Copyright PPI (Pakistan Press International), 2011