Ambassador Farukh Amil, the new Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN and other International Organizations in Geneva, called on IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong on 2 May. He had just presented his letters of credence the day before.
Discussions focused on democracy in Pakistan. Mr. Amil stressed that Pakistan had been able to achieve progress, despite a difficult history, thanks to democracy. His government was the first to complete a five-year mandate. The current Prime Minister, Mr. Nawaz Sharif, believes that the role of parliament, especially of women MPs, is critical. That was one of the reasons that Mr. Chungong was the first head of agency that Mr. Amil called on.
Emphasising the importance of democracy, Mr. Chungong said, "Democracy is the only self-correcting system. Democracy must be able to put food on the table. Its growth in Pakistan is evidence of this."
Mr. Chungong lauded the excellent relations the IPU enjoyed with the Pakistani Parliament and the Permanent Mission in Geneva. He hoped that the Parliament would support the IPU’s efforts to mobilize parliaments against terrorism.
