The Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani met with the newly elected Ceann Comhairle (Speaker) of the Irish Parliament during his official visit to Ireland.
The Chairman Senate is leading a high level delegation to Ireland and Austria, according to a statement issued here on Wednesday. He expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality and emphasized the importance of strengthening parliamentary ties between Pakistan and Ireland.
The Chairman Senate noted that Speaker Verona Murphy is the first female Speaker elected in Ireland, highlighting the trust placed in her leadership as an independent member.
He acknowledged the significance of women in leadership roles and recalled that Benazir Bhutto, as the Muslim World’s and Pakistan’s first female Prime Minister, had visited Ireland in 1994.
It was the first-ever and only visit to date by any chief executive of Pakistan, further strengthening historical ties between the two nations. Discussions focused on enhancing inter-parliamentary cooperation, particularly in legislative exchanges, governance, and transparency.
The Chairman Senate commended the Irish Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) as a model for fiscal oversight and expressed Pakistan’s resolve to establish its own PBO, inspired by best practices from Ireland.
Recognizing Ms Murphy’s background as an entrepreneur, the Chairman Senate emphasized that Ireland’s business delegations must visit and explore investment opportunities in Pakistan.
He highlighted Pakistan’s investor-friendly climate and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a one-window operation designed to streamline and facilitate foreign investment across key sectors.
Both sides explored avenues for collaboration, including technical exchanges, workshops, and virtual forums on budgetary and fiscal policies. Yousaf Raza Gilani invited an Irish parliamentary delegation to visit Pakistan, reaffirming commitment to continued engagement and democratic reforms.
The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both leaders expressing optimism for sustained cooperation and strengthened democratic institutions in both nations.