ISLAMABAD: A delegation of General Electric (GE) called on President Mamnoon Hussain followed by a detailed meeting with Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq and other senior officials of Pakistan Railways.
The GE delegation was led by its Chief Financial Officer Frederick Beras. The US firm is taking keen interest in many projects in Pakistan, especially in power and railway sectors.
According to reports, Pakistan Railways (PR) is engaging US companies for improvement of crippling rail system. Since it came into power, the government has mostly been depending on Chinese firms for purchase of locomotives, spare parts and other equipment.
However, now it is said to be looking towards US companies for improving the railways.
Meanwhile, President Mamnoon Hussain has said that Pakistan is confidently treading the path of political and economic stability despite daunting challenges on human development, economic and security fronts and costly repercussions of a decade-long role of Pakistan as the frontline state in international war on terror.
He was speaking at a Luncheon hosted on the occasion of 7th Plenary of Asian Parliamentary Assembly here on Wednesday. He made it clear that Pakistan also believes in the promotion of peace, security and development in the region and its neighborhood. He said with Asia’s rise as the global economic, technological and cultural hub, it has become necessary to promptly address and neutralise common roadblocks.
The president said since most of our consternations and issues bear many similarities on inter alia socio-economic, geo-political, energy security, development, trade, environment, human rights, education and health fronts, joining hands and synergies is both rational and imperative. He said while our challenges may seem huge, our strengths were no less reassuring and promising.
“We have many reasons to be optimistic. The fundamentals of our region are strong. We have young, energetic populations. We live in a region of vibrant democracies, with strong civil societies, powerful media, and neutral judiciaries,” he emphasised. Mamnoon said in order to make all this work, the real challenge lies in translating deliberations and proposals into viable plans of action geared towards addressing the genuine problems of masses at the grassroots level.
In this regard, he said that APA stands distinguished as a unique forum where the experience and wisdom of our veteran law-makers and people’s representatives can crystallise into visionary, progressive and people-sensitive policy solutions accommodative of both our individual and collective needs.
He was optimistic that in-depth deliberations during the 2nd Executive Council’s meeting, Plenary session and simultaneous standing committee meetings will pave the way for more targeted efforts to achieve mutually-agreed goals, especially the formation of a truly representative Asian Parliament as also depicted by the theme of this plenary sitting.
He emphasised that enhanced inter-parliamentary cooperation, perseverance in face of challenges, tolerance, harmony, peaceful coexistence and sharing of good practices and expertise in the areas of better public policy oversight, legislation and public outreach will be imperative to this end.
The president commended the efforts of Senate Chairman Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari for showing exemplary leadership and political acumen as APA president, and for highlighting this esteemed forum’s cause at various international forums.
