Inter-Parliamentary Union president to arrive in Pakistan today

ISLAMABAD: Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) President Gabriela Cuevas Barron along with a delegation will arrive in Pakistan today on a five-day visit.

According to sources, Barron will hold important meetings with President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan and other high officials during her visit.

Gabriela Cuevas Barron is arriving in Pakistan on the invitation of Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani.

Strict security steps will be taken at the airport on her arrival in the country. She will also visit Lahore, Chakwal, Gwadar and Pasni, sources added.

Sources further said that the aim of her visit was to foster relations between Pakistan’s Senate and the IPU to strengthen the foundations of democracy and promote mutual collaboration at the highest levels.

On July 10, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjarani had announced that he would contest elections for the post of the president for the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) which is a global organization of national parliaments.

Sanjrani was nominated by National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser. A spokesperson for the Senate had said that 179 countries are members of the union whereas elections for IPU president would be held in December.

“For the first time in the history of the country, Sanjarani will be contesting the IPU presidential elections,” the spokesperson had stated.

The spokesman had quoted parliamentarians saying that “Sanjarani’s IPU presidential election will further enhance the prestige of parliament”.