ISLAMABAD: Ambassador Adam M. Tugio paid a visit to IQRA University, Islamabad campus on 22nd February 2022 to have an interactive discussion on global affairs and strengthen the bilateral ties between the two brotherly nations, Indonesia and Pakistan.
The session was attended by the Vice President of IQRA University, Dr. Muhammad Islam, Senior Professors Dr. Shehryar Khan, faculty members, and students of the social science department.
Ambassador Tugio praised the positive trajectory of bilateral cooperation and identified potential areas for strengthening it further and through institutional cooperation with ASEAN. Speaking about the importance of the east, Ambassador Tugio stated, “Many pundits believe that the future of global economies lies in the East. Despite such strong projections, however, the Asia Pacific area receives less attention from academicians and think tank community in this capital.” He urged that Pakistani academics and think tanks should dedicatedly focus on the economies of East Asia.
Ambassador Tugio informed students about the opportunities available through Indonesia’s scholarship programs, emphasizing that the majority of the colleges that give scholarships are among the world’s top 500 universities, according to the QS World University Rankings for 2021. He urged Pakistani students to apply for this scholarship program in order to have the opportunity to study in Indonesia. He also lauded the university’s brilliant young students, emphasizing that Pakistan’s youth have tremendous talent and promise in a variety of sectors.
Ambassador Tugio highlighted, “there are many similarities between Indonesia and Pakistan within the realm of history, culture, religion, and education system”. He further reminded students that while studying in Indonesia, Pakistani students will not only learn about different cultures but will also be able to find many cousins of Pakistani cuisines in Indonesia, as they share similar taste and ingredients”.
Dr. Muhammad Islam expressed his gratitude to the Indonesian Ambassador for his visit and expressed his hope that the visit would open more doors to beneficial cooperation with Indonesia, which is the largest country in ASEAN and has the world’s largest Muslim population, particularly in the fields of research and business innovation development.
Ambassador Tugio also announced a Batik competition with Pakistani design and motifs for students and art enthusiasts in Pakistan will be organized soon to introduce Batik and boost cultural connectivity and people-to-people engagement.
