Diplomacy is not built on paperwork or optics — it is built within institutions. Real inter-parliamentary engagement requires credibility, bipartisan trust, and patient groundwork in Washington, sustained over time rather than staged for headlines.
The Inter-Parliamentary Group (IPG) process is moving forward through institutional channels and is expected to result in a formal announcement by mid-April, jointly issued by the legislatures on both sides of the Atlantic. This marks a new chapter in U.S.–Pakistan parliamentary diplomacy — one rooted in process, continuity, and mutual legislative confidence.
This progress has been made possible through sustained bipartisan support in Washington — in particular, the principled engagement of my dear friend, Congressman Ron Estes, whose vision for structured legislative diplomacy has been instrumental.
On the Pakistan side, the engagements at Rayburn were meaningfully advanced through the leadership and cooperation of Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, Chief Whip of the Senate; Senator Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Cabinet Affairs; and the exemplary initiative and support of Senator Syedaal Khan Nasir, Deputy Chairman of the Senate. Their collective roles reflect how parliamentary diplomacy works best when institutions, not personalities, lead the process.
History does not move through announcements.
It moves through institutions.
About the Author
Dr. Gholam Mujtaba is Chairman of the Pakistan Policy Institute USA (PPI-USA) and a diaspora-led advocate of U.S.–Pakistan parliamentary diplomacy. He has led sustained congressional engagement in Washington to help institutionalize inter-parliamentary dialogue between the United States and Pakistan, including the ongoing formation of a formal Inter-Parliamentary Group (IPG). His work focuses on building durable legislative channels, strengthening national security dialogue, and ensuring continuity beyond episodic visits and photo-ops.
https://medium.com/@greetmujtaba/paper-doesnt-make-policy-institutions-do-0ec12794cdb7 (https://medium.com/@greetmujtaba/paper-doesnt-make-policy-institutions-do-0ec12794cdb7)
