Mahnoor Ansar
ISLAMABAD: A high-level Senate delegation, led by Deputy Chairman Senator Syedaal Khan, will undertake an official visit to the United States from January 20 to 25, 2026, the Senate Secretariat said on Tuesday.
The development comes after Pakistan-US relations saw a notable thaw in 2025, a year marked by high-level engagement, strategic recalibrations, and complex regional developments.
The Secretariat termed the visit a “historic milestone” in Pak–US parliamentary relations, signifying the “beginning of a new institutional chapter in bilateral engagement”.
According to the statement, the visit was organised under the auspices of the Pakistan Policy Institute USA. It will also include the United States–Pakistan Inter-Parliamentary Group for the first time.
“This development represents a major achievement of strategic and non-traditional parliamentary diplomacy,” the statement said, adding that the visit “reflects a shared commitment to strengthening democratic institutions through direct engagement between elected legislatures”.
The Secretariat added that the initiative came at a “critical juncture” of global and regional transformation, particularly in South Asia and the Middle East.
It further said that the visit would be undertaken with clearly defined strategic objectives, including the “establishment of a permanent institutional mechanism” for sustained inter-parliamentary dialogue between the US Congress and the Senate of Pakistan.
“The delegation aims to promote democratic values, exchange best legislative practices, enhance parliamentary oversight, and strengthen institutional cooperation beyond traditional executive-level diplomacy,” it said.
The Secretariat said that the visit would also focus on engaging with the Pakistani-American community to present the country’s parliamentary perspective on regional and global issues, while advancing scientific, cultural, and policy-oriented cooperation.
No Pakistani parliamentary delegation has held formal engagements at the Rayburn House Office Building under the auspices of the US Congress in the 77-year history of Pakistan–US relations.
The Secretariat said that the program would also include a press conference and media engagements at the National Press Club, Washington, D.C., as well as community and policy receptions in New Jersey.
It further said the visit would lay the foundation for regular parliamentary exchanges, enhanced legislative cooperation, and a sustainable institutional partnership between Pakistan and the United States—anchored in mutual respect, democratic principles, and long-term strategic engagement.
