Shii and senior Pakistani official exchange views on democracy and peaceful coexistence

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo met with Daniyal Aziz, Pakistan's National Reconstruction Bureau chairman, on December 23 in Karachi.

Aziz, a 37-year-old cabinet member, explained that the National Reconstruction Bureau works to establish democracy based on elections at the local level and to enable residents to join in their local administration. He explained that the bureau is trying to construct a mechanism enabling local governments to solve their problems by themselves.

Expressing hopes for the development of democracy in Pakistan, Shii said, "Japan, China, and Islamic societies have their respective ways of developing democracy. They must not be self-righteous in forcing their principles on others but must respect others."

Aziz agreed with Shii in stressing the need for dialogues between and peaceful coexistence of different civilizations instead of clashes.

Referring to his visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum as a "sobering experience," Aziz said he wanted to invite Shii to his constituency.

Both enjoyed the lively conversation and were pleased to find new friends in each other. (end)