Afghan parliamentarians on India visit (With Image)

New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) Over 90 members of the Afghan parliament are on a week-long visit to India during which they would attend a training programme on parliamentary procedures and practices.

Ninety-four members of the upper house of the Afghan parliament are in the country from Feb 11-17 on the invitation of the Indian government, said a statement Wednesday.

The team is led by the First Deputy Speaker of the Afghan upper house Mohammad Alam Izedyar.

Rafiullah Gulafghan, second deputy speaker of the Afghan upper house, is also accompanying the delegation.

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid hosted a lunch in their honour and deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha and senior parliamentarians also interacted with them.

The delegation is scheduled to visit the central hall, both houses of parliament and the parliament museum.

They will also pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and visit places of cultural and historical importance, including the Red Fort and Taj Mahal, the statement said.

The delegation has already visited the shrine of Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya and the Bedil garden, named after Afghan poet Bedil Dehlavi, in the city.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during his visit to Kabul in May 2011, had addressed a joint session of both the houses of the Afghan parliament.

IANS 2013-02-13 22:38:02