News Detail
Event Title: Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman, Convener Pakistan-Bulgaria Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Senate in a meeting with the delegation from Bulgaria headed by H.E. Ambassador Petko Doyko, Director General for Bilateral Relations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bulgaria at Parliament House Islamabad
Event Date: 2026-07-08
A meeting of the Pakistan–Bulgaria Parliamentary Friendship Group was held today at Parliament House, Islamabad, aimed at further strengthening 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. Advisor 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 attached by both sides to deepening parliamentary and diplomatic engagement. Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also participated 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 noted 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, sharing of legislative best practices, and closer collaboration between parliamentary committees to promote mutual understanding and institutional cooperation.
The Ambassador of Bulgaria appreciated the warm hospitality extended by the Parliament of Pakistan and expressed satisfaction over the constructive dialogue between the two sides. He noted that Bulgaria values its friendly relations with Pakistan and looks forward to expanding cooperation in areas of shared 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. Misbah Khar lauded the initiative of Inter-Parliamentary Speakers' Conference (ISC) of Chairman Senate and it's most relevant theme of "Peace, Security and Development". She also appreciated the 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 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 toward 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.