December 30; Islamabad: The 12th round of Pakistan-Afghanistan Parliamentarians Dialogue, facilitated by PILDAT and co-Hosted by the Senate Defence Committee and Parliamentary Friendship Groups on Afghanistan, officially began in Islamabad today.

The Dialogue is chaired by the Honourable Senator MushahidHussainSayed (PML-ICT), Chairman Defence Committee, Senate of Pakistan, and Honourable Senator Afrasiab Khattak (ANP, KP), Chairman Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights, from the Pakistan side and Honourable Senator Baz Mohammad Zormati, Member International Affairs Commission, Meshrano Jirga and Honourable Mr. Abdul QaderZazai, Chairman International Affairs Commission, Wolesi Jirga, from Afghanistan.

Earlier today, the Afghan Delegation called on Prime Minister's Advisor on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Honourable Mr. Sartaj Aziz, in the Foreign Office. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to combating terrorism and to help build mutual trust. Mr. Sartaj Aziz appreciated the efforts of PILDAT in facilitating and sustaining the Parliamentary Dialogue.

The Afghanistan Delegation that is visiting Islamabad to engage in a two-day Dialogue December 30-31, 2014, under the respective Chairs include: Honourable Senator Mohammad Hassan Hotak, Honourable Senator FowzeaSaadatZamkanai, Honourable Senator Mir BahadorWasifi, Honourable Senator GhulamMohaiudinMonsef, Honourable Senator RanaTareen and Honourable Senator Lutfullah Baba from the Meshrano Jirga and Honourable Mr. Ali Akbar Qasemi, Honourable Mr. QudratullahZaki, Honourable Mr. GulBadshahMajidi, Honourable Sayed Nader Shah Bahr, Honourable Mr. Mohammad NazirAhmadzai, Honourable Mr. ZakariaZakaria, Honourable Mr. Baz Mohammad Jawzjani and Honourable Mr. SherwaliWardak from the Wolesi Jirga.The Secretariat Staff accompanying the Delegation from both Houses includes Mr. Abdul Wasi Fatah, Legislative Affairs Director, Meshrano Jirga, Mr. Mohammed ZaherMushtaq, Director International Relations, Meshrano Jirga and Mr. Nezamudin Adel, Director General of International Relations Department, Wolesi Jirga.

Pakistani MPs who joined the Dialogue included Honourable Senator Haji Adeel, (ANP, KP), Chairman Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Honourable Senator Abbas Khan Afridi, (IND, FATA), Federal Minister for Textile & Industry, Honourable Senator SurriyaAmiruddin (PPPP, Balochistan) Member Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights, Senator Dr. Muhammad JehangirBadar (PPPP, Punjab), Member Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Honourable Senator Amar Jeet (ANP, KP), Member Senate Committee on Defence Production, Senator Abdul NabiBangash (ANP, KP), Member Senate Parliamentary Friendship Group on Afghanistan, Senator NajmaHameed (PML-N, Punjab), Member Senate Committee on Interior & Narcotics, Senator Hamza (PML-N, Punjab), Member Senate Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources, Honourable Senator SaeedaIqbal (PPPP, ICT), Chairperson Senate Committee on Defence Production, Senator NasreenJalil (MQM, Sindh), Chairperson SenateFinance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatization Committee, Senator Rubina Khalid (PPPP, Punjab), Member Senate Committee on Defence Production, Senator Zahid Khan (ANP, KP) Chairman Senate Water and Power Committee and Senator Abdul Rauf (PMAP, Balochistan) Member Senate Defence Committee from the Senate of Pakistan and Honourable Mr. Sajid Nawaz, MNA (NA-3, Peshawar III, KP, PTI), Honourable Mr. Ali Muhammad Khan, MNA (NA-10, Mardan-II, KP, PTI), Honourable Mr. ShehryarAfridi, MNA (NA- 14, Kohat, KP, PTI), Honourable Mr. Sarzameen, MNA (NA-23, Kohistan, KP, PML-N), Honourable SahibzzadaTariqullah, MNA (NA-33, Upper Dir, KP, JI), Honourable Malik Ihtebar Khan, MNA (NA-58, Attock-II, Punjab, PML-N), Honourable Rana Mohammad Afzal, MNA (NA-82, Faisalabad VIII, Punjab, PML-N), Honourable Mr. AbidRaza, MNA (NA-107, Gujrat-IV, Punjab, PML-N), Honourable Mrs. Mussarat Ahmad Zeb, MNA (NA-323, Women, KP, PTI) and Honourable Ms. Aisha Sayed MNA (NA-329 Women, KP-VIII, KP, JI) from National Assembly of Pakistan respectively.

PILDAT has been facilitating dialogues since 2008. PILDAT conceptualised and initiated the project of building and deepening Parliamentary ties and relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan in 2008. To-date eleven (11) Dialogues of Pakistan and Afghan Parliamentarians have been facilitated by PILDAT since 2008.

Specific publications that have been published for the benefit of 12th round of MPs Dialogue include:

• Pakistan-Afghanistan Parliamentarians' Dialogue Report: Pace & Progress of Pakistan-Afghanistan Official Dialogue; December 2013 - December 2014
  [Download PDF English Version] [Dari Version] [Pashto Version]


• Background Paper: Changing Regional Context Beyond 2016: Pakistan -Afghanistan Relations; December 2014
  [Download PDF English Version] [Dari Version] [Pashto Version]


• Progress Report: Implementation Status on Recommendations from the Pakistan-Afghanistan Parliamentarians Dialogues since 2008
  [Download PDF English Version] [Dari Version] [Pashto Version]