Islamabad, October 3,2026: Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has called for further strengthening Pakistan-Australia relations through enhanced parliamentary exchanges, trade and investment, education, defence cooperation and people-to-people contacts.
He made these remarks during a meeting with Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan Timothy Kane at Parliament House, Islamabad.
Gilani highlighted the longstanding and cordial relations between Pakistan and Australia, noting shared democratic values, Commonwealth traditions, bicameral parliamentary systems and strong people-to-people linkages.
He emphasized the need to expand cooperation in agri-tech, renewable energy, fintech, minerals, textiles, IT services and food products, while calling for stronger linkages between the business communities and chambers of commerce of the two countries.
The Chairman Senate also stressed greater cooperation in higher education, scholarships, joint research, climate change, disaster management, cybersecurity, maritime security and peacekeeping.
Gilani briefed the Australian High Commissioner on the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC), of which he is the Founding Chairman. He said the third edition of the conference is scheduled to be held in Indonesia in February 2027.
The two sides also exchanged views on the upcoming election for the Presidency of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and matters of mutual interest in the field of inter-parliamentary cooperation.
Australian High Commissioner Timothy Kane expressed Australia’s desire to further strengthen bilateral and parliamentary cooperation with Pakistan and appreciated Gilani’s efforts to promote closer ties between the two countries.
Ambassador to the ISC and Adviser to Chairman Senate Ms. Misbah Khar was also present.
