Asia should decide its own destiny: Rabbani

Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani has said that Asia should look within itself and decide its own destiny as the white racism and Western imperialism are not going to solve its problems. Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani stated this at the inaugural ceremony of the meeting of Special Committee for Creation of Asian Parliament (SCCAP) and Standing Committee on Political Affairs, Asian Parliamentary Assembly, as the two-day APA bringing together parliamentarians from 23 Asian countries kicked off here on Tuesday.
Rabbani urged the parliamentarians of Asian countries to think over the masses who are suffering, undernourished and are the object of poverty and victim of terrorism.
"If we are unable to find indigenous solution to the problems of our own people, history will not forgive us," he added. The important high-level meeting is being hosted by Senate of Pakistan in Islamabad. More than 70 parliamentarians from 23 Asian countries are participating in the meeting.
A three-member parliamentary delegation from India led by Indian National Congress Shashi Tharoor is also participating in the event. "It's is good to see the beautiful weather in Islamabad, sitting with parliamentarians from the Asian countries and discussing cooperation," Tharoor told reporters in a brief chart on the sidelines of the event. However, he declined to comment on the strained Pak-India relations. Rabbani, in his address to the parliamentarians, further stated that nations have bilateral issues and regions have their own conflicting interests, but the people of Asia are represented at this forum. He said that Asia is a land of natural resources, but these resources were exploited by western imperialism. He remarked that Asia still continues to suffer through neocolonialism.
He pointed out the changed context of the world highlighting consequences of BREXIT and US Presidential elections. Rabbani said that the rise of white racism is a threat to Asian region and it is this threat that Asia comes across. He cautioned that Asia must counter this threat and look for its destiny.
He gave an idea that the people of Asia will lose hope in their parliaments if this generation fails to rise up to their expectations. He exclaimed, "This meeting is a positive beginning, moving towards narrowing our distances." He hoped that the meeting which is taking place at a very high time would produce good results.
Speaker of National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq appreciated APA performance in promoting unity and prosperity. He confirmed Asia as the engine of global economy, nourishing the largest population of the world and contributing heavily to the UN peacekeeping missions. However, Asia has severe shared challenges. He elaborated that democracies do not fight with one another. He also noted that balance of power has been shifted from west to east; hence it is the Asian century and Pakistan strategically lies at the mid of it.
Speaker of Peoples Assembly of Syrian parliament, Dr Hadiyeh Abbas, believed that the need for cooperation and solidarity is greater than ever before. The emerging challenges of Asia cannot be resolved without the genuine cooperation of the hoped-for Asian Parliament.
Speaker of the National Assembly of Bhutan, Lyonpo Jigme Zangpo, demonstrated that diversity has always been the mass code of Asia and fragmentation of our continent would never render to cooperation. "The political landscape is changing; hence, we should work for common vision and collaboration. The SCCAP Committee must represent collaborated interests, commitment and symbolise unity in sharing our resources," he added.
He said, "Another perspective to this mechanism is that our Parliaments may vary in working but we have similar goals strengthening parliamentary performance. Asian Parliament has to be established to focus more on regional and international issues and set aside bilateral issues."
Head of Cambodian delegation Chhit Kimyeat also deliberated on the importance of parliament in promoting peace and security in regional and global affairs. He also noted that political stability is indispensable in Asia. Thereby, peace and security needs efficient peace mechanisms; hence, parliamentary system is foremost to promote dialogue and cooperation. He further illustrated, "We must continue friendship in Asia through APA, to cater our shared challenges. We all have to resolve together for peace, prosperity, common legislation in Asia and commitment to international law."
Deputy Secretary General of APA Dr Ali Khorram reminded the significance of parliaments for domestic and foreign associations in light of post global order challenges and their implications for Asia. He upheld that parliaments sustain sovereignty of state and play vital role in international and national apparatus. Therefore, Asian Parliament is an idea towards Asian integration. He informed that instead of excluding or blaming others, all nations should work towards for "Asian identity", paving way towards shared values and multi-culturalism, which can only be achieved through parliamentary cooperation. He further stressed upon the optimistic future of APA and Asia.
Earlier, Secretary Senate Amjad Pervez welcomed all the member parliaments and reminisced about the plenary sessions held in Pakistan previously. He informed that during the 9th plenary of APA, the Senate of Pakistan has been unanimously elected as chairperson of Special Committee on Creation of Asian Parliament SCCAP and Vice President of APA Standing Committee on Political Affairs. He explained that APA symbolises unity, cohesion, inter-faith harmony and vehicle for change. The parliamentarians from the Asian countries are also discussing a draft resolution, which seeks formation of "Asian Parliament."