Local dignitaries welcomed eight Pakistani delegates to Keighley yesterday.

The members of the Pakistani National Assembly -- Pakistan's equivalent to Members of Parliament -- were shown around Keighley by MP Ann Cryer during their two-day stay in the town.

Chaudhry Amir Hussain, leader of the National Assembly, Malik Allah Yar Khan, chairman of the public accounts committee, Nisar Ali Khan, Aitzaz Ahsan, Mushtaq Victor, Muhammad Farooq Sattar, Rozina Tufail and delegation secretary Mukhtar Haider Shah were in Keighley as part of an exchange arranged by the Common-wealth Parliamentary Assoc-iation (CPA) in return for Mrs Cryer's visit to Pakistan, in December, 2003.

Yesterday the delegation had lunch at Keighley Town Hall with Mrs Cryer, members of the town council, Keighley Central Ward councillor Khadim Hussain, Azaz Hussain, Bradford's consul of Pakistan, and Andrew Tuggey and Helen Haywood, of the UK branch of the CPA.

Mrs Cryer said "The first thing I did when I joined Parliament eight years ago was pay for a life membership of the CPA.

"I have a certain fondness for the Commonwealth and everything it stands for.

"When I went to Pakistan last December, I said to Mr Speaker that if they ever wanted to come to the UK I hoped that they would come to Keighley.

"I am delighted that he and his delegation have made it up to us and I am sure our Pakistani community will be very, very pleased to see them."

At the luncheon, Keighley town Mayor Cllr Allan Rhodes welcomed the delegates to the town with a gift -- a tie featuring the town council's crest.

He said: "I find it quite an honour and privilege to have such a distinguished group from Pakistan come specially to Keighley, rather than Bradford.

"I hope that their stay in Keighley shows what a united community we are."

Mr Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain said: "I am happy to see and learn that services in Keighley are being done irrespective of race.

"If we want to help to serve a nation, all people should be united."

The delegates went on to visit Bingley Magistrates Court and had dinner at Azeems Restaurant.

Today Mrs Cryer was due to take the delegates to Eastwood Primary School, Airedale Hospital, the Sangat Centre and the Medina Mosque for Friday prayers.

The CPA works towards the advancement of parliamentary democracy throughout the Commonwealth. It has more than 15,000 members -- 850 of those are from the UK.