Pakistan Parliamentary Delegation called on Honourable Mr. Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Vice President of the Republic of India, on December 12, 2014.

Mr. Ansari warmly welcomed the Pakistan delegation to his residence and conveyed that a continued dialogue aimed at strengthening relations between the two neighbours is the only way forward.

The Pakistan delegation that called on Honourable Vice President of India included Mr. Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, MNA and Chairman Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs as well as Convener of Pakistan-India Parliamentary Friendship Group in the National Assembly of Pakistan, Senator Hasil Khan Bizenjo, President, National Party, Senator Dr. Muhammad Jehangir Bader, Chairperson, Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs; Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan, Secretary Information PML-N, Chairperson, Senate Standing Committee on Industries and Production, Senator Nawabzada Saifullah Magsi, Member Senate Standing Committees on Cabinet Secretariat; Water and Power; Law and Justice; Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. Abdul Rashid Godil, MNA, Member, National Assembly Standing Committees on Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs and Privatization; Water and Power, Ms. Maiza Hameed, MNA, Member, National Assembly Standing Committee on Communications, Mr. Muhammad Afzal Khan, MNA, Parliamentary Secretary for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics & Privatization, Mr. Muhammad Ayaz Soomro, MNA, Member, National Assembly Standing Committees on Law, Justice and Human Rights; Textile Industry, Mr. Muhammad Tallal Badar, MNA, Parliamentary Secretary for Science and Technology, Mr. Ramesh Lal, MNA, Member, National Assembly Standing Committee on Communication, Railway, Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony and Syed Muhammad Ashiq Hussain Shah, MNA, Parliamentary Secretary for Railways, Member, National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence Production; Railways, Mr. Javed Jabbar, Former Senator and Federal Minister for Information and Media Development, Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, President PILDAT, Ms. Aasiya Riaz, Joint Director PILDAT, Mr. Faheem Ahmed Khan, Projects Manager and Mr. Muhammad Saad, Assistant Projects Officer.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 2 day Dialogue between Pakistan and Indian Parliamentarians that concluded in New Delhi on December 12, 2014.

Among the 3 out of the 6 dialogues held in India since 2011, this was the first dialogue held in a Committee Room in the Indian Parliament for which the permission was granted by the Honourable Speaker of Lok Sabha.

During one of the breaks of the Dialogue, the Pakistani MPs briefly witnessed the proceedings of the Lok Sabha after which it was felt appropriate to make a courtesy call on the Honourable Speaker. The Speaker's office indicated the Honourable Speaker, as she was chairing the House, will be available after a certain time for a short duration. However since the Parliamentarians Dialogue was to be resumed after the break, the time available for a short courtesy call on the Honourable Speaker was not workable even though the Honourable Speaker waited briefly to receive the delegation. It must be emphasised that no formal time for a call on had been sought. It is also worth reiterating that the dialogue venue inside the Indian Parliament had been made available as a gracious gesture by the Honourable Speaker Lok Sabha.

The only formal call-on requested, took place when the Pakistan delegation was received by the Honourable Vice President of India Mr. Mohammad Hamid Ansari.

For details of the 6th Round of Pakistan India MPs Dialogue, please see the Joint Statement.