Pak, Maldives elected Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson for SAARC Speakers’ Conference
Staff Reporter

Islamabad—The SAARC Council of Speakers, Sunday, elected Pakistan and Maldives as Chairpersonship and Vice-Chairpersonship respectively for 6th SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians Conference. 

The SAARC Council of Speakers also approved the agenda for the Conference and decided the next venue for holding the 7th SAARC SpeakersConference.

Ms. Meira Kumar, Speaker Indian Lok Sabha chaired a meeting of the SAARC Council of Speakers here at Parliament House. She proposed the named of Dr. Fehmida Mirza for the Chairpersonship of current Speakers Conference which was unanimously approved by all the Members of the Council. 

The outgoing chairperson congratulated Dr. Fehmida Mirza on her election and thanked all the Members of the Council for their cooperation extended to her during her Chairpersonship of the Council. 

She was of the view that under the leadership of Dr. Fehmida Mirza, the SAARC Speaker’s Forum would flourish and enhance parliamentary cooperation between SAARC countries.

After assuming the Chair of the Council of Speakers, Dr. Fehmida Mirza thanked her SAARC counterparts for reposing confidence in her. She paid her special gratitude to the outgoing chairperson Ms. Meira Kumar for her efforts due to which the SAARC parliamentarians forum witnessed continued progress and which would be a guiding principle for her during her tenure as Chairperson.

Dr. Fehmida Mirza on the occasion missed Nepal and Afghanistan who could not attend the conference due to the dissolution of N.A in Nepal and preoccupation Afghanistan in its domestic affairs, however, She wished them good luck and hoped that they would participate in the next conferences.

Later the Council unanimously approved the agenda of the 6th Conference of the SAARC Speakers and parliamentarians meeting besides approving the names of Maldives for Vice Chair and panel of Chairpersons for the 6th Conference of SAARC Speakers and parliamentarians Conference. 

The Council also decided that the next CASSP will be held in Maldives in last quarter of year 2013. All members of the Council separately congratulated Dr. Fehmida Mirza for excellent arrangements for holding 6th Conference in Islamabad.