Two countries agree to revise PTA; Subianto discusses defense ties with CDF Munir
President Asif Ali Zardari hands over the Nishan-e-Pakistan to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif looks on. Photo: APP
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto agreed on Tuesday to strengthen bilateral trade, expand cooperation in health, agriculture, information technology, science and education and deepen coordination on regional and global issues, including Palestine.
Addressing a joint press conference with Indonesian President Prabowo Subiato at PM House, the Prime Minister said Pakistan and Indonesia were committed to increasing bilateral trade, which currently stands at $4.5 billion, noting that over 90% of the total trade consisted of palm oil imports from Indonesia to Pakistan.
He said both sides discussed corrective measures to help balance trade between the two countries, including increasing Pakistan’s exports in agriculture, IT-led initiatives and other sectors.
The prime minister also offered to send doctors, dentists, medical professors and other health experts to Indonesia to help meet the needs of Indonesian medical universities and hospitals.
“I want to assure you that whatever is possible for us in this regard, we will do it without any delay,” he said.
Sharif highlighted that bilateral relations between the two countries span 75 years, noting that their ties predate Pakistan’s independence. He recalled that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had supported Indonesia’s independence movement and said that Indonesia stood firmly with Pakistan during the 1965 war.
Citing regional and global issues, the prime minister praised Indonesia’s stance on Gaza, saying it was time for the international community to act to stop the ongoing bloodshed.
He expressed confidence that the bond between the two countries would continue to grow and that President Prabowo’s visit would take relations to “new heights”.
The Indonesian President thanked the government and people of Pakistan for the warm reception and noted that his flight was escorted by Pakistan Air Force JF-17 Thunder jets.
The Indonesian president said the bilateral meeting was productive and resulted in agreements across several areas of cooperation, including trade, education, agriculture, science and technology. He described Islam as a moderate religion that promotes inclusivity and tolerance, adding that Pakistan and Indonesia shared historical and brotherly relations.
Welcoming Pakistan’s offer to help in the health sector, he said Indonesia was in dire need of doctors, dentists and medical experts, terming Pakistan’s support strategic and critical. He said he had instructed Indonesian ministers to speed up practical cooperation with Pakistan in several areas.
He also said both countries coordinate their foreign policies closely, especially regarding Palestine and Gaza, and reaffirmed Indonesia’s support for a two-state solution. He added that the foreign ministers from both sides remained in close contact.
Earlier, the two sides led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto reviewed the full range of bilateral relations between the two countries and reaffirmed their joint commitment to further strengthen cooperation in all areas of mutual interest.
These areas included political and diplomatic engagement, economic and trade relations, defense and security, health, education, science and technology, agriculture and environmental cooperation.
Both sides also agreed to elevate their historic bilateral relations into a forward-looking, dynamic partnership.
During the bilateral talks, the Prime Minister was assisted by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Force Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Minister and senior officials, PM Office Media Wing, said in a press release.
Both sides expressed satisfaction with the upward trajectory of bilateral trade and agreed to revise the Indonesia-Pakistan Preferential Trade Agreement (IP-PTA) to further expand the volume of bilateral trade, which currently stands at about $4 billion, while striving to address the trade imbalance.
In particular, they emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation in the halal industry, trade in agricultural products, information technology, technical and vocational training, etc.
The two sides agreed to promote cooperation in investments and joint ventures across various sectors through increased cooperation between the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Indonesia (Danantara).
The leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues, including the situation in Kashmir and Gaza, and reiterated their shared commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflicts in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the protection of human rights.
Prime Minister Sharif appreciated President Prabowo’s active diplomatic and humanitarian efforts in Gaza, including his role in pursuing ceasefire arrangements and providing humanitarian assistance.
Both leaders appreciated the close and active cooperation between the two countries in multilateral forums, including the UN, OIC and D-8.
After the talks, the two leaders witnessed an exchange of memoranda of understanding and agreements between both sides in various areas.
The Prime Minister also hosted a luncheon in honor of the President and his accompanying delegation.
“The visit coincides with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Indonesia, a historic milestone in the brotherly ties between the two nations,” it added.
Meeting with CDF
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir called on the President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto in Islamabad on Tuesday.
During the meeting, issues of mutual interest, regional security and bilateral defense cooperation were discussed, said a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Both sides reaffirmed their resolve to further strengthen the existing ties between the armed forces of the two brotherly countries.
The visiting dignitary appreciated the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces and acknowledged Pakistan’s role in promoting regional peace and stability.
The COAS & CDF reiterated that Pakistan values its longstanding relations with Indonesia and is committed to expanding defense cooperation in training, counter-terrorism and capacity building, it further said.
MoU
The Ministry of Federal Education and Vocational Training (FE&PT), Pakistan and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia signed Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) to strengthen cooperation in the education sector.
According to Ministry FE&PT on Tuesday, an agreement has been signed between the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Indonesia, on the mutual recognition of certificates and degrees for higher education.
Additionally, two MOUs were also signed between both governments.
The documents were signed by Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiquis Federal Minister FE&PT, Pakistan and Brian Yularto, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Indonesia.
Nishan-e-Pakistan
President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday conferred Nishan-e-Pakistan, Pakistan’s highest civilian award, on Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo at a special investiture ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadr.
The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif; President of the Senate, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani; Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq; members of the federal cabinet; Governor Sindh, Kamran Tessori; Governor Gilgit-Baltistan, Syed Mehdi Shah; Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore; Chief of Defense Forces, Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir; Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu; Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf NI (M); parliamentarians and members of the diplomatic corps.
