By Staff Correspondent?Clifton, NJ | February 12, 2026 : In a significant development underscoring growing parliamentary engagement between Pakistan and the United States, the Chief Whip of the Senate of Pakistan, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, has formally appreciated the role of the Pakistan Policy Institute USA (PPI-USA) and its Chairman, Dr. Gholam Mujtaba, MD, Ed.D., for organizing and facilitating a landmark inter-parliamentary dialogue at the Rayburn House Office Building of the U.S. Congress in Washington, D.C.
In an official letter issued from the Senate of Pakistan, Parliament House, Islamabad, Senator Mandviwalla commended PPI-USA for what he described as the “outstanding organization and execution” of the January 2026 inter-parliamentary engagement in Washington, noting that the initiative helped foster meaningful dialogue between Pakistani legislators and U.S. lawmakers on critical bilateral issues, including trade cooperation, visa restrictions, and counterterrorism collaboration. The letter further invited Dr. Gholam Mujtaba to visit Pakistan with a delegation of U.S. Members of Congress to continue structured parliamentary exchanges between the two democracies.
The Rayburn engagement marked the first officially witnessed inter-parliamentary dialogue between Pakistan’s Senate leadership and U.S. Congressional offices held at a formal Congressional venue, conducted in compliance with Capitol Hill protocols for bilateral parliamentary ties. The program was officially sponsored by Congressman Al Green (Texas), whose office provided institutional clearance for the engagement.
Notably, Congressman Ron Estes (Kansas) personally attended the meeting and delivered an on-record statement from the podium expressing support for strengthening U.S.–Pakistan cooperation. According to participants, Congressman Estes publicly acknowledged his longstanding professional association with Dr. Gholam Mujtaba, recognizing the role of diaspora-led civic initiatives in promoting sustained engagement between the two countries beyond ceremonial exchanges.
Senior representatives from the offices of Congressman Tom Suozzi (New York), Congressman Josh Gottheimer (New Jersey), Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (Texas), and Congresswoman Laura Gillen (New York) also participated in the engagement following prior clearances, reflecting institutional Congressional acknowledgment of the dialogue framework, despite disruptions caused by a weather-related Congressional recess.
Responding to the Senate Chief Whip’s letter of appreciation, Dr. Gholam Mujtaba, Chairman of PPI-USA, described the recognition as an affirmation of “diaspora-led, transparent, and compliance-driven parliamentary diplomacy,” emphasizing that the initiative was undertaken without external funding and with the sole objective of improving understanding and institutional trust between Washington and Islamabad.
Observers note that the correspondence between Pakistan’s Senate leadership and the U.S. Congressional participants represents a rare instance of formal parliamentary acknowledgment on both sides, potentially laying the groundwork for a sustained Inter-Parliamentary Group (IPG) framework aimed at regularized dialogue, reciprocal visits, and structured cooperation on legislative priorities affecting U.S.–Pakistan relations.
The developments come amid renewed debate in policy circles about the effectiveness of traditional lobbying versus direct parliamentary-to-parliamentary engagement, with proponents arguing that institutional dialogue anchored in official venues such as the U.S. Congress can produce more durable outcomes for bilateral relations.
