Islamabad :- The inaugural meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs was held at Parliament House, chaired by Senator Irfan ul Haque Siddiqui. The session was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, who participated in the entire 90-minute session, presenting an overview of the Ministry’s first 100 days progress, with a main focus on economic diplomacy and geo-economics.
The Foreign Minister detailed the Ministry’s priorities, including economic recovery, diplomatic growth, and improved trade and investment through international partnerships. Key achievements included calls for a ceasefire in Gaza in OIC Summit, participation in the Nuclear Energy Summit, and significant diplomatic visits to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, China, Iran, and Uzbekistan. These visits focused on enhancing cooperation in various sectors, including ICT, renewable energy, and strategic partnerships, with the UAE pledging a $10 billion investment in Pakistan other than previous commitments.
Additionally, the Foreign Minister discussed initiatives to facilitate document attestation services for residents of remote areas through courier services and new initiative of Ministry ‘Apostille Verification’
Chairman Senator Irfan Siddiqui inquired about the performance evaluation of Pakistani trade attachés in missions abroad, to which the Foreign Secretary responded that performance reports are reviewed every three months based on approved KPIs.
The Foreign Minister also briefed the committee on engagement with Afghanistan regarding security and health issues discussed recently in DOHA meeting announcing plans for an upcoming visit to address these matters. He clearly stated that Pakistan is no longer diplomatically isolated, emphasizing that the country is engaging with the world with open arms and striving to attract foreign direct investment. He expressed optimism about Pakistan’s economic recovery.
Addressing concerns about Pakistani students facing issues in Central Asia, the Foreign Minister assured ongoing efforts to support and accomodate students, noting that 4,800 out of 11,000 students from Kyrgyzstan have already returned to Pakistan due to efforts of current government.
Meeting was attended by Senators Sherry Rehman, Rana Mahmood Ul Hassan, Rubina Quaim Khani, Anwaar Ul Haq Kakar, Dr. Afnan ullah Khan, Liaqat Khan Tarakai, Mohammad Abdul Qadir, Deputy Prime Minister and Foriegn Minister of Pakistan, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Foriegn Secretary along with Additional Secretaries from Foreign Office.
