- Indonesian president arrives in Pakistan for two-day visit.
- Indonesian president holds delegation-level talks with PM Shehbaz.
- Pakistan, Indonesia agree to enhance trade and defence cooperation.
President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday night conferred the highest civil award, Nishan-e-Pakistan, on his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto at a special investiture ceremony held at the President House in Islamabad.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and other senior officials attended the ceremony.
During his two-day official visit to Pakistan from December 8 to 9, undertaken at the invitation of PM Shehbaz, the Indonesian president held separate meetings with the country’s civil and military leadership.
According to a joint statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Subianto held delegation-level talks with PM Shehbaz and met President Zardari, CDF Field Marshal Munir and others.
The visit carried special significance, as Pakistan and Indonesia are marking 75 years of diplomatic relations this year.
Acknowledging that bilateral ties predate the independence of both countries, the two sides expressed a firm resolve to build on this historic foundation and expand cooperation across all areas of mutual interest.
Both sides agreed to pursue cooperation in a forward-looking manner and explore ways to further elevate bilateral engagement.
During the visit, the two sides reviewed the full spectrum of relations and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening ties across political and diplomatic, economic and trade, security and defence, cultural and educational, science and technology, and health sectors.
The leaders underscored the importance of enhancing high-level exchanges, political dialogue, effective use of existing bilateral mechanisms, and strengthening inter-parliamentary relations.
Economic cooperation
Reaffirming their commitment to expanding trade and economic cooperation, both sides noted that while bilateral trade has doubled since 2014 and surpassed the $4 billion mark, significant opportunities remain untapped.
It was agreed to convene a meeting of the Joint Negotiations Committee (JNC) at the earliest to upgrade the existing IP-PTA to a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by 2027 through deeper concessions, removal of non-tariff barriers, and enhanced cooperation.
Recognising the importance of traditional trade commodities — including agricultural and industrial goods, palm oil, surgical instruments and pharmaceutical products — both sides also agreed to explore cooperation in services such as information technology, cyber security and fintech.
They further emphasised strengthening mutual investments to diversify and expand economic engagement, including in sectors such as agriculture, IT, mining and minerals, tourism, infrastructure, digital connectivity and energy, through cooperation between Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and Indonesia’s Sovereign Wealth Fund (Danantara).
Acknowledging the importance of defence cooperation, both sides agreed to deepen collaboration through enhanced high-level military interactions, institutionalising defence industrial cooperation, specialised training programmes, and exchanges between military institutions, in accordance with respective laws.
Both leaders also agreed to explore additional opportunities for defence industry collaboration, as well as maritime and aviation-related training.
Security challenges
The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to cooperating on transnational security challenges, including preventing and countering terrorism, violent extremism, and illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, new psychoactive substances and their precursors, in line with international law and the UN Charter.
Pakistan appreciated Indonesia’s progress in strengthening its national health sector. Both sides agreed to expand collaboration in health services, human resource development, medical devices, digital health, emergency preparedness, vaccine production, disease control, and maternal and child health, subject to domestic regulations.
Recognising the threat posed by climate change, both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in disaster management and climate resilience through knowledge-sharing, capacity-building and joint initiatives.
Highlighting the potential for collaboration in tourism, anchored in shared history and culture, both sides reaffirmed their intention to deepen cooperation through knowledge sharing, sustainable tourism ventures and joint promotional activities.
Pakistan briefed the Indonesian delegation on developments related to the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Humanitarian crisis in Palestine
The leaders expressed deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in Palestine and reaffirmed their longstanding support for a just, comprehensive and lasting peace based on the two-state solution, in line with UN resolutions and internationally agreed parameters.
Both sides welcomed the Gaza Peace Plan and appreciated their continued diplomatic efforts in support of peace.
Further building on existing bilateral mechanisms, the two sides signed several agreements and MoUs during the visit.
President Subianto expressed appreciation to PM Shehbaz Sharif and the people of Pakistan for the warm hospitality extended to him.
— With additional input from Radio Pakistan.
