Indonesia attaches great value to ties with Pakistan

Ambassador Adam Tugio says Indonesian and AMAN 2023: Building Strong Partnership with Pakistan to Promote Global Peace and Security

Nazir Siyal

KARACHI:  In a discussion with Karachi Council for Foreign Relations (KCFR), Ambassador Adam Tugio underscored the solid foundation of bilateral relations between Indonesia and Pakistan which encompassing all aspects of cooperation. He mentioned the participation of a frigate vessel of Indonesian Navy to AMAN Naval Exercise 2023 as an example on how Indonesia attaches great important of its partnership with Pakistan to promote global peace and security.

The Envoy further said that cooperation on defence sectors has a potential to grow beyond exchange of military officers and capacity building programs. “More than 50 percent of conflicts is taking place in OIC geographic. Indonesia and Pakistan are the two biggest UN troops contributing countries and the role of women peacekeepers of the two countries can give significant contribution to create enabling environment for peace and reconciliation in such conflicts”, added Tugio.

Ambassador Tugio specifically made reference to newly established mechanism of Joint Ministerial Commission which would allow the two FMs to meet at regular basis for stocktaking progress of bilateral cooperation and give strategic direction to deepening bilateral relation. He further mentioned that Pakistan has full potential to develop its economy due to its geostrategic location to serve as gateway to the broader region in Central Asian. “Pakistan has strong resilience to overcome the economic crises and make strong revival as attested through its history”, imbued the envoy.

Ambassador Tugio encouraged Pakistan business community to look Indonesia as trade hub for expanding its export to huge market of more than 640 million people in ASEAN. Responding to the question on doable strategy for Pakistan to strengthen its partnership with ASEAN, he suggested a two-prong approach of institutional collaboration with ASEAN Secretariat and bilateral processes with ASEAN members. The envoy underlined the important of deepening connectivity through hard elements, such as building infrastructure as well increasing people-to-people connections as soft elements of connectivity. “Pakistan is blesses with scenic beauty landscapes and has the potentials to become center for religious tourism since it has many heritage sites for Buddhism and Islam, noting that 24% people in ASEAN are Buddhist and 46% are Muslim”, added the Envoy.

Another potential cooperation that the Envoy mentioned was on economy shariah and halal market. He stated that 25% of world population today is Muslim and he made reference to PTA of D-8 organisations where Indonesia and Pakistan are members, together with other Muslim majority countries spanning from Asia to Middle East, and from South Asia to Southeast Asia.

Responding to the question on the collaboration on science and technology, Ambassador Tugio underscored the unique position of Pakistan as COMSTECH OIC headquarter is in Islamabad. The Envoy mentioned that last year Indonesian Ministry of Health in collaboration with COMSTECH hosted four health professionals from Pakistan and Egypt for capacity building program on virology in Jakarta.

The event was chaired by Commodore Retd. Sadeed Anver Malik and  Vice Admiral Retd. Khalid Mir attended by members of Karachi Council on Foreign Relations.