ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani on Monday said the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) had not been able to settle the issues of Muslim countries.
He said that the Western world is exhibiting double standards on the Palestine and Kashmir issues and the conscience of the human rights organisations is silent on the brutalities and oppression in the occupied Muslim regions and the international law has been thrown to the wind.
The chairman expressed these views in a meeting with Faisal El-Fayez, president of the Senate of Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He is currently visiting Pakistan on the invitation of Raza Rabbani with a four-member delegation.
Senate Deputy Chairman Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Leader of the House in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq, Senator in waiting Javed Abbasi, Senator Salahuddin Tirmizi, Senator Sardar Azam Musakhel and Senate Secretary Amjad Pervez Malik accompanied the chairman.
The chairman said that the United Nations had become a rubber stamp and is acting only to endorse the moves initiated by the Western countries.
“It is time that the Muslim countries and Asia including the Middle East should look inward in this changing scenario and must assert themselves for resolving the issues,” he maintained.
Rabbani said that Pakistan and Jordan enjoy close brotherly relations and these relations are underpinned by shared faith, history and culture and have been strengthened by exemplary cooperation at regional and international forums.
Raza commended the stability, peace and security in Jordan despite the fact that surrounding countries are experiencing an upheaval. He also stressed the need for increasing contacts and further strengthening the traditionally strong bilateral relations between the two countries. He said Pakistan provides excellent opportunities and facilities for investment which can be exploited by Jordanian entrepreneurs.
The chairman emphasised the importance of developing strong parliamentary linkages between both parliaments.
He said Pakistan desired to expand bilateral ties in different sectors which is a manifestation of the fact that Pakistan places its relationship with Jordan in high esteem. He termed the visit a positive step and hoped that it will go a long way in further cementing the bilateral ties. He said that there is a need not only to further enhance the cooperation on parliamentary forums but also the economic ties between the two countries should be increased through the exchanges at ministerial level and through chambers of commerce and industries as well as the parliamentary friendship groups in the Senates of both the countries to explore the venues to this effect.
The chairman sent his well wishes to King Abdullah-II and to the government and people of Jordan.
Both the secretariats also signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance parliamentary cooperation and promote regular interaction of parliamentary delegations besides capacity building of the parliamentarians and human resource development sharing of experiences and knowledge in the respective fields.
The Jordanian parliamentary delegation visited the monument of “Unsung Heroes of the Democracy” in the lawn of the Parliament House where they were briefed about the historic struggle of the political workers, civil society, media and people from different walks of life for the restoration of democracy, supremacy of parliament and the Constitution of Pakistan. The delegation also visited the Gali-e-Dastoor where they were briefed about the constitution history of the country.
