Islamabad will host the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers' Conference (ISC) on 11 and 12 November, bringing together speakers, deputy speakers and senior parliamentarians from more than 40 countries for two days of talks on peace, security and development.

The conference is a new multilateral platform conceived in Seoul and led by Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, who serves as its founding president. The inaugural meeting in Seoul earlier this year gathered more than 45 speakers of parliaments, and the Islamabad gathering is the forum's first full-scale session.

Prime minister to inaugurate the conference

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will inaugurate the conference, while President Asif Ali Zardari will host a dinner for the international delegates. Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq will preside over one of the sessions and host a luncheon for participants.

The conference theme is “Peace, Security, and Development”. Ms Misbah Khar, the conference’s special envoy, told Pakistan Television that 45 countries have joined the forum to respond together to hybrid warfare, climate instability, economic fragmentation and the manipulation of information.

The Senate of Pakistan said the conference would focus on conflict prevention, food, water and energy security, climate action, sustainable development, good governance and parliamentary diplomacy. A curtain-raiser ceremony for the event was attended by parliamentary leaders, diplomats and 38 ambassadors, along with representatives of international organisations.

Delegations arriving in Islamabad

International delegations have begun arriving in the capital for the gathering, which Radio Pakistan said would bring together parliamentary representatives from over 40 countries. Senate officials welcomed arriving delegates at the airport as preparations for the two-day event were completed.

Addressing the curtain raiser, Mr Gilani said the conference would give parliamentary leaders a platform to exchange ideas and work together on shared challenges. The forum's secretary general, Ek Nath Dhakal, also attended the launch event.

Voices from the curtain raiser

At the curtain raiser, Mr Gilani recalled that as prime minister in 2008 he watched world leaders set ambitious agendas at summits while parliaments were missing from the table. That, he said, drove him to create a platform for speakers of parliaments. He also spoke of a visit to flood-hit areas in Multan, saying: “Climate change respects no border. No single government can respond alone.”

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar told the gathering that “without peace and security, there can be no development”, while Speaker Ayaz Sadiq stressed that parliaments must work together on artificial intelligence and misinformation. Provincial assembly speakers and representatives from Kashmir will also take part, symbolising national unity.

Parliamentary diplomacy in focus

The gathering reflects Pakistan's growing role in parliamentary diplomacy. Organisers say the conference aims to create a space where parliamentary leaders can share best practice and agree on joint action on the most pressing issues facing their countries.

The sessions will run over two days in Islamabad, with delegates taking part in discussions on peace and security, development and the role of parliaments in tackling global challenges.