ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani met the president of Italian Chamber of Deputies, Lorenzo Fontana, and agreed to further strengthen ties between the two countries.

Both leaders reaffirmed commitment to promoting parliamentary cooperation and exchanges as means of people-to-people contacts.

The two sides also discussed developments in Afghanistan. Mr Gilani observed that Afghanistan is Pakistan’s brotherly nation and Islamabad desired a stable peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan.

Mr Fontana, the speaker of Lower House of Italy, said he would accept the invitation extended by his counterpart National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq for a visit to Pakistan. He expressed desire to conclude an accord between the two parliaments to formalise cooperation and exchanges.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2025