ISLAMABAD: Senator Raza Rabbani has been elected as member of the executive committee of the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) during its 141st general assembly in Serbian capital Belgrade after India withdrew the candidature of Shashi Tharoor for the slot.

According to the National Assembly Secretariat, Pakistan fielded former Senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani for the slot and his candidature was being vigorously pursued by Pakistan’s parliamentary delegation led by NA Speaker Asad Qaiser, who is chairman of the Asia Pacific Group for the current year.

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Of the 34 members of the executive committee, Asia has three seats and two of them are already held by China and Thailand. Election to the third seat was held on Sunday. The term of the executive committee’s member is three years.

On Oct 4, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser had inaugurated ‘Common Man’s Gallery’ in the National Assembly hall and a counter at the Parliament House reception.

Addressing an inauguration ceremony in Islamabad, the speaker had said the step had been taken to facilitate general public to have access to the National Assembly.

Asad Qaiser had said any citizen could have access to the National Assembly by showing his National Identity Card. He had said special staff would be deputed at reception to help the citizens.