ISLAMABAD: Member of the German Bundestag Christoph Schmid called on the Honourable Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan at Parliament House, Islamabad, where the two sides discussed Pakistan-Germany relations, parliamentary exchanges and matters of regional importance.<\/p>\n
The meeting was held at the Deputy Speaker Chamber. Syed Shamoon Hashmi, Special Secretary, Special Initiatives, was also present.<\/p>\n
Welcoming Mr Schmid, the Deputy Speaker highlighted the longstanding and wide-ranging ties between Pakistan and Germany. He said Germany had shown considerable interest in Pakistan over the years and noted that parliamentary delegations and exchanges between the two countries had remained active before the COVID-19 pandemic. He stressed the need to revive and further expand such contacts.<\/p>\n
The Deputy Speaker also recalled the 2014 visit to Pakistan by the then Speaker of the German Bundestag, Prof Dr Norbert Lammert, describing it as an important milestone in bilateral parliamentary relations. He said he had the privilege of hosting the German Speaker at his residence in Karachi during that visit, where representatives of the business community, civil society and political leadership were brought together, enabling engagement with various segments of Pakistani society.<\/p>\n
He appreciated Germany\u2019s humanitarian assistance to Pakistan during the 2010 floods. He also acknowledged Germany\u2019s support and engagement during earlier periods of regional instability linked to conflicts in Afghanistan, saying its continued understanding and support amid current regional challenges was deeply valued.<\/p>\n
Mr Schmid thanked the Deputy Speaker for the warm welcome and underlined the need to further strengthen parliamentary relations between Pakistan and Germany. He said the establishment of a Pakistan-Germany Parliamentary Friendship Group in the German Bundestag would serve as an effective platform for sustained parliamentary engagement.<\/p>\n
The Deputy Speaker welcomed the proposal and said the National Assembly was ready to pursue the matter through appropriate channels to further strengthen institutional links between the two parliaments.<\/p>\n
Mr Schmid also appreciated Pakistan\u2019s role in promoting dialogue and mediation amid current regional tensions involving Iran. He observed that Pakistan\u2019s efforts to engage partners with differing perspectives and facilitate dialogue had drawn considerable attention in Germany and internationally. He added that coverage of Pakistan\u2019s diplomatic efforts had increased interest among German parliamentarians.<\/p>\n
The Deputy Speaker shared personal memories related to Germany, mentioning that his first-ever flight was to Frankfurt on Lufthansa and recalling a road journey from Stuttgart to Pakistan with his father. He expressed pleasure at the prospect of welcoming Mr Schmid on a future visit to Pakistan and offered to host him in Karachi.<\/p>\n
The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming the importance of sustained parliamentary engagement and closer people-to-people contacts between Pakistan and Germany. The proposed Pakistan-Germany Parliamentary Friendship Group in the German Bundestag was welcomed as an important step to give fresh momentum to parliamentary dialogue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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