Published on: September 9, 2025 12:41 AM
The upcoming Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC), scheduled to be hosted by the Senate of Pakistan in November, was officially launched on Monday with a curtain-raiser ceremony attended by parliamentary leaders, diplomats, and senior officials.
A total of 38 ambassadors, along with representatives from international organisations, participated in the event, underscoring broad diplomatic support and global interest in the initiative.
In her welcoming remarks, Misbah Khar, advisor to the Chairman Senate and Ambassador ISC, underscored the significance of this initiative, noting that Pakistan’s foreign policy objectives are closely aligned with its parliamentary outreach.
She emphasised that the ISC offers a platform to resolve conflicts through dialogue and promote global peace, especially at a time when humanity faces shared crises such as poverty and climate change.
In his keynote address, Chairman Senate of Pakistan, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, welcomed Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Secretary General of Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference Ek Nath Dhakal, Heads of Parliamentary parties, Diplomats, and distinguished guests, terming their presence a reaffirmation of Pakistan’s commitment to promoting peace, cooperation, and global solidarity.
Highlighting the inspiration behind the ISC, the Chairman Senate reflected on his tenure as Prime Minister in 2008.
He shared that during that time, he observed summits where world leaders set ambitious agendas for peace, development, and cooperation.
However, the very institutions entrusted with translating those ambitions into laws — parliaments, the true custodians of legislation and public ownership — were missing from the table. This realisation, he noted, became the driving force behind his vision to establish a dedicated platform for Speakers of Parliaments.
Underscoring climate change as a defining challenge, the Chairman Senate shared his recent visit to flood-hit areas in Multan, noting that displaced families’ stories of loss and resilience underscored the urgency of global solidarity. “Climate change respects no border. No single government can respond alone. Governments need parliaments, and parliaments need each other,” he stated.
He outlined the Senate’s proactive steps in legislative diplomacy, including celebrating Pakistan–Africa Friendship Day and engaging with Central Asia and European partners. Referring to the inaugural ISC meeting held earlier this year in Seoul, which gathered over 45 Speakers of Parliaments, he stressed that the upcoming full-scale conference in Islamabad would focus on conflict prevention, food, water and energy security, climate action, sustainable development, good governance, and advancing parliamentary diplomacy.
Quoting John Donne’s famous words, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main,” the Chairman underlined the essence of ISC as a “Continent of Parliaments” where each Speaker contributes to the collective good.
Expressing gratitude to diplomats, parliamentary leaders, and international partners, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani reaffirmed that the ISC in Islamabad would serve as a platform to transform commitments into concrete legislative pathways. “Parliaments are not merely instruments of national debate; we are architects of a more peaceful and prosperous world,” he concluded.
Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar also addressed the gathering, appreciating the Senate’s leadership and terming the ISC a “timely initiative with clear purpose.” Emphasising that “without peace and security, there can be no development,” he said the upcoming conference is crucial for dialogue-based multilateralism.
Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq commended the ISC initiative and extended full support. He emphasised the bipartisan nature of parliamentary diplomacy, stating that both Houses of Parliament must work together to represent the will of the people.
He noted the growing impact of emerging technologies like AI, highlighting the importance of collaboration between parliaments to prevent misinformation and strengthen institutions.
Secretary General, Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference, Ek Nath Dhakal, also acknowledged the leadership of Pakistan for graciously hosting the ISC, describing it as a key platform for advancing peace and sustainable development through legislative cooperation.
The curtain raiser has set the tone for what promises to be a landmark gathering of Parliamentary Leaders this November in Islamabad.
The event reinforces Pakistan’s commitment to inclusive, bipartisan, and forward-looking legislative diplomacy that aspires to shape a more harmonious global future.
