ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Eight Pakistani Women Parliamentarians along with the Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi met the Foreign Minister of Indonesia Ms. Retno Marsudi in Islamabad on Saturday on the eve of the 17th Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers.
The women Parliamentarians of Pakistan (Members of the National Assembly and Senate) included Ms. Andleeb Abbas, Ms. Maleeka Ali Bokhari, Ms. Kanwal Shauzab, Ms. Seemee Ezdi, Ms. Tashfeen Safdar, Ms. Syma Nadeem, Ms. Aliya Hamza Malik, and Dr. Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur.
In the meeting, views were exchanged on women’s empowerment and promotion of equal opportunities, especially in the context of the democratic and Islamic character of both Indonesia and Pakistan.
The meeting discussed the great scope for cooperation between the women MPs from both sides to share best legislative practices, enhance mutual contacts, and further parliamentary engagement in the areas of health, education, and sports, among others.
The participants expressed solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, in particular women and girls, and discussed ways to reach out to them in these difficult times. In this regard, they agreed to explore the formation of a joint forum of women parliamentarians from Pakistan and Indonesia.
The two sides will pursue these initiatives through their respective focal points designated for this purpose.
 included Ms. Andleeb Abbas, Ms. Maleeka Ali Bokhari, Ms. Kanwal Shauzab, Ms. Seemee Ezdi, Ms. Tashfeen Safdar, Ms. Syma Nadeem, Ms. Aliya Hamza Malik and Dr. Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur.){kind=link}