The Pakistan South Africa Parliamentary Friendship Group convened a briefing session and a subsequent meeting with H.E. Mr. Rudolph Pierre Jordaan, Acting High Commissioner of the Republic of South Africa, at Parliament House, Islamabad on June 17, 2026. The gathering, chaired by Dr. Nafisa Shah, focused on deepening parliamentary diplomacy and translating goodwill into concrete cooperation.
Participants included members of the National Assembly, among them Dr. Muhammad Farooq Sattar, Mr. Muhammad Riaz Fatyana, Mir Shabbir Ali Bijarani, Mir Amer Ali Khan Magsi, Dr. Mahesh Kumar Malani, Mr. Asad Alam Niazi, Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Dr. Syeda Shahida Rehmani, Ms. Mussarat Rafique Mahesar and Ms. Samina Khalid Ghurki, who engaged across a range of bilateral priorities.
H.E. Malik Muhammad Farooq, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to South Africa, provided a comprehensive briefing on South Africa’s political, economic and social landscape, while representatives of the Pakistani community in South Africa highlighted community-related challenges and security concerns. Attendees stressed the need for sustained institutional engagement and improved coordination between authorities in both countries to address these issues.
Dr. Nafisa Shah underscored the value of parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening Pakistan South Africa ties, noting that Parliamentary Friendship Groups play a vital role in fostering people-to-people contacts, cultural exchanges and cooperation under Pakistan’s Look Africa Policy and broader South-South Cooperation initiatives. She also paid tribute to Nelson Mandela’s legacy, recalling his visits to Pakistan and his enduring commitment to justice and reconciliation.
In his remarks, H.E. Mr. Rudolph Pierre Jordaan reaffirmed the cordial and longstanding relationship between the two countries and urged expansion of collaboration beyond traditional areas. He highlighted the importance of regular high-level exchanges, practical follow-up mechanisms and enhanced people-to-people engagement. Mr. Jordaan specifically pointed to cricket as a valuable bridge for strengthening ties through regular sporting exchanges and goodwill-building initiatives.
Delegates exchanged views on trade and investment, tourism, education, parliamentary cooperation and cultural exchange, and emphasized the need for stronger economic engagement and institutional linkages. The meeting concluded with a call to establish a counterpart Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Parliament of South Africa and to maintain sustained high-level interactions to ensure follow-through on agreed priorities and deepen Pakistan South Africa cooperation.
