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His Excellency the Shura Council Speaker, Hassan bin Abdullah al-Ghanim, held separate meetings in Islamabad Monday with Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan Yusuf Raza Gilani. HE the Shura Council Speaker is visiting Pakistan at the head of the Council's delegation participating in the World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, which begins today. The meetings focused on strengthening parliamentary co-operation between the Shura Council and the National Assembly and the Senate of Pakistan, with both sides discussing ways to advance shared interests. Topics on the conference agenda were also discussed.The conference centres on the theme of "Peace, Security, and Development," underscoring the role of parliaments in supporting global efforts to build a more stable and just international order. It serves as a platform for aligning perspectives, promoting dialogue and mediation in conflict resolution, and fostering co-operation in water, energy, and food security. Climate change, sustainable development, and interfaith and intercultural harmony are also key areas of focus.

HE Speaker of the Shura Council Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim conferred with the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye Professor Numan Kurtulmus, on the sidelines of the Global Parliamentary Conference on Counter-Terrorism and the Prevention of Violent Extremism, hosted by Istanbul. During the meeting, the Speaker of the Turkish National Assembly expressed his condemnation of the Israeli attack on the State of Qatar on September 9, considering it a form of state terrorism. He emphasized that targeting a safe civilian site in Doha represents a flagrant violation of international law and diplomatic norms. For his part, HE Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim emphasised the importance of activating the working mechanisms of the parliamentary group in support of Palestine, in light of current developments. He called for more countries from South America, Asia, and Europe to join this group, contributing to unifying parliamentary positions on the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and Israeli threats to the region. He also highlighted that a just and lasting solution is based on implementing the two-state solution and guaranteeing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. HE the Speaker of the Shura Council appreciated the distinguished fraternal relations between the State of Qatar and the Republic of Turkiye, stressing the Shura Council's commitment to continuing coordination and joint action to serve just causes and strengthen Arab and Islamic solidarity. During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the existing parliamentary cooperation between the Shura Council and the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye, and ways to enhance them to serve common interests. They also discussed prospects for parliamentary coordination in regional and international forums, particularly in the areas of counter-terrorism and supporting humanitarian efforts to enhance international peace and security. They stressed the importance of supporting the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights, and unifying Arab and Islamic parliamentary positions in the face of Israeli aggression. HE Al Ghanim met with Head of Special Projects and Innovation Branch of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) Guadalupe Megre. The meeting reviewed areas of cooperation between the Shura Council and the UNOCT, particularly with regard to enhancing parliamentary participation in counter-terrorism and preventing violent extremism efforts, and joint coordination in implementing programs and initiatives organized by the Office for Parliamentary Participation in Doha. The two sides also discussed ways to develop international parliamentary partnerships in capacity building and exchange of expertise, which would contribute to unifying global efforts to combat terrorism and support international peace and security.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has stepped down just weeks after taking office. The French Presidency said in a statement on Monday that President Emmanuel Macron has accepted Lecornu's resignation. Lecornu, appointed on September 9, faced strong criticism from opposition parties and right-wing politicians after unveiling part of his new Cabinet on Sunday evening. He was due to present his government's general policy statement before the National Assembly on Tuesday. The two previous governments, led by Michel Barnier and Francois Bayrou, fell after parliamentary votes of no confidence over their proposed austerity budgets. France has been experiencing a prolonged political crisis since President Macron called early legislative elections last year in an effort to consolidate his authority. However, the move resulted in a deeply divided parliament, split among three rival blocs.