Amidst unprecedented global instability, Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani delivered a stark warning that peace is ‘unravelling before us – from Gaza to Sudan to Occupied Kashmir,’ calling on parliamentary leaders to serve as guiding lights to promote understanding and cooperation.
According to a statement today, the call to action came during his inaugural address at the landmark two-day Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference, which formally commenced in the nation’s capital on Tuesday under the theme ‘Peace, Security and Development.’
The summit has brought together legislative leaders from around the globe to deliberate on shared challenges. The event was attended by Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, whose presence Gilani described as a reflection of Pakistan’s deep commitment to dialogue, cooperation, and multilateralism.
In his keynote speech, the Senate Chairman, who is also the Founding Chairman of the conference, stressed that progress rests on the inseparable pillars of peace, security, and development. ‘Without peace and security, no nation can build; and without development, peace remains fragile,” he remarked.
Gilani characterized the gathering as a “defining moment” in parliamentary diplomacy, uniting assemblies from both the Global North and South to forge collective solutions to contemporary crises, including wars, economic shocks, climate change, and rapid technological disruptions.
He underscored the necessity for an inclusive and broader understanding of security, one that encompasses economic and climate resilience, environmental sustainability, food and water security, and digital integrity. Citing Pakistan’s situation as a nation with negligible global emissions yet disproportionate vulnerability to climate impacts, he called collective parliamentary action a ‘moral and practical imperative’ before the costs become unbearable.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s dedication to global peace under the leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, the Chairman highlighted the country”s historic role as a frontline state against terrorism and its significant contributions to United Nations peacekeeping missions.
He noted that despite provocations on its eastern and north-western borders, Pakistan has consistently demonstrated maturity and restraint. ‘We have consistently extended the hand of dialogue, for peace is a two-way street that requires reciprocity,’ he stated.
Gilani explained that his decades of legislative experience inspired him to convene the conference, reinforcing his conviction that sustainable progress and security are interdependent.
He asserted that parliaments are not mere bystanders but are ‘drivers of trust, builders of consensus, and voices of the people when the world grows uncertain.’
Urging delegates to move beyond promises, the Chairman called for the sharing of bold and implementable solutions that reflect the diverse experiences of the participating nations.
Concluding his address, he quoted Pakistan’s first woman Prime Minister, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, on the nature of leadership. ‘Let this gathering be remembered for the conviction it inspires, the partnerships it forges, and the clarity of purpose it establishes,’ Gilani implored. ‘The world is watching – let us lead with unity, vision, and courage.’