Senator Agha Durrani Calls for Empowered Role of Youth in Global Policymaking

Staff Report 

ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani, has called for young people around the world to be given an effective and empowered role in political and policymaking processes, rather than being limited to mere representation. He emphasized that the younger generation is the foundation of sustainable development, lasting peace and global stability, and that their meaningful participation is essential to shaping a more peaceful, inclusive and prosperous future.

Speaking at a high-level session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians 2026, held in the historic Uzbek city of Samarkand, Senator Durrani said young legislators had a better understanding of the challenges confronting their societies and should therefore be provided greater opportunities to participate in policymaking and political decision-making.

He said the world was facing rapidly evolving political, economic, social and environmental challenges, making it imperative to harness the potential, innovative thinking and energy of young people. Empowering youth, he added, was essential to building a more inclusive, sustainable and peaceful future.

Senator Durrani stressed the need to further strengthen links and cooperation among young parliamentarians at the international level. Young legislators from different countries, he said, should exchange experiences and best practices to develop effective strategies for addressing common challenges.

He observed that parliaments were a fundamental pillar of democratic systems and that meaningful political participation of young people could play an important role in strengthening democratic institutions. Incorporating the voices and perspectives of youth into legislation and government policies, he added, was a pressing need.

The senator also called for enhanced international parliamentary cooperation, saying that the challenges facing the world today were not confined to any single country. Their resolution, he said, required collective global efforts and more effective parliamentary diplomacy.

Senator Durrani said Pakistan would continue to provide opportunities for its youth to contribute to national development and would play its role in promoting youth leadership at the international level.

The IPU Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians 2026 was attended by young parliamentarians and parliamentary delegations from more than 75 countries. The conference discussed challenges confronting young people, their role in political decision-making and the responsibilities of young legislators in shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future