A meeting of the Pakistan-Bulgaria Parliamentary Friendship Group was held today at Parliament House, Islamabad, to further strengthen bilateral parliamentary, economic, cultural, and diplomatic cooperation between Pakistan and Bulgaria.
The meeting was convened by Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman, Convener of the Pakistan-Bulgaria Parliamentary Friendship Group. Adviser to the Chairman Senate and Ambassador of the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC), Ms. Misbah Khar, and Secretary Senate Syed Hasnain Haider also attended the meeting. The Ambassador of Bulgaria to Pakistan participated in the meeting, reflecting the importance both sides attached to deepening parliamentary and diplomatic engagement. Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also took part in the proceedings.
Welcoming the participants, Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman underscored the longstanding and cordial relations between Pakistan and Bulgaria, emphasizing the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in expanding cooperation across diverse sectors. He highlighted the immense potential for enhancing bilateral collaboration in trade, investment, education, information technology, agriculture, renewable energy, tourism, healthcare, and cultural exchanges.
The Senator said that stronger parliamentary engagement would complement the growing diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries. He stressed the need for regular exchanges of parliamentary delegations, the sharing of legislative best practices, and closer collaboration between parliamentary committees to promote mutual understanding and institutional cooperation.
The Ambassador of Bulgaria thanked the Parliament of Pakistan for its warm hospitality and expressed satisfaction with the constructive dialogue between the two sides. He said that Bulgaria valued its friendly relations with Pakistan and looked forward to expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest. He also commended the efforts of the Pakistan-Bulgaria Parliamentary Friendship Group in promoting closer ties and fostering greater understanding between the two countries.
Ms Misbah Khar emphasized the important role of parliamentary friendship groups in fostering people-to-people contacts and strengthening inter-parliamentary dialogue. She highlighted the significance of women’s leadership and youth engagement in advancing bilateral relations and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Bulgaria through sustained parliamentary interaction. She also proposed exploring the possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two parliamentary friendship groups to institutionalize future collaboration. Ms. Khar praised the initiative of the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC) under the leadership of the Chairman Senate and described its theme, “Peace, Security and Development,” as highly relevant. She also appreciated Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani’s vision for strengthening parliamentary diplomacy through friendship groups.
Secretary Senate Syed Hasnain Haider highlighted the Senate Secretariat’s commitment to facilitating stronger institutional linkages between the parliaments of Pakistan and Bulgaria. He emphasized the importance of knowledge-sharing, capacity-building initiatives, and enhanced cooperation between the parliamentary secretariats to support effective legislative processes.
The participants discussed opportunities to expand bilateral trade, encourage business-to-business contacts, promote academic and research partnerships, and strengthen cooperation in culture, heritage preservation, climate resilience, and sustainable development. They also acknowledged the importance of enhancing collaboration in digital innovation, vocational education, and tourism promotion.
Both sides agreed to further strengthen parliamentary relations through regular exchanges, joint initiatives, and enhanced institutional cooperation. It was agreed that the Parliamentary Friendship Groups would work towards developing a comprehensive roadmap to promote collaboration in areas of mutual interest, including education, economic development, cultural diplomacy, innovation, and parliamentary capacity-building.
The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the shared commitment of Pakistan and Bulgaria to further deepen bilateral relations through active parliamentary engagement, mutual respect, and sustained cooperation in support of regional peace, prosperity, and sustainable development.