Jakarta, Islamabad need to transform ‘historic links’, says Indonesian envoy to Pakistan

Indonesian envoy urged on Friday that Jakarta and Islamabad need to “transform” their “historic links to trade and travel”.

“Indonesia and Pakistan need to transform its historic links to trade and travel,” said Indonesian Ambassador Adam Mulawarman Tugio in a webinar organised by Karachi Council on Foreign Relations. The webinar focused on Indonesia and Pakistan’s historic relations and its future aspirations.

The envoy gave an insight into the history and future aspirations of the two countries. He said Indonesia-Pakistan built the historic foundation of relations since the beginning of the independence of both countries.

He shared that elaborated that former Indonesia president Sukarno along with Pakistan and several other leaders of developing countries became the initiators of the Asian-African Conference. The conference was a forerunner of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Tugio shared a vivid picture of the mechanism of strengthening bilateral ties, urging that connectivity was key to establishing healthy geo-economic and socio-cultural relationships.

“After signing the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) in 2013 trade had increased up to 8 per cent, which has potential to increase further,” said the envoy.

Earlier Former Pakistani ambassador to Indonesia Mian Sanaullah gave an overview of the history and struggle of both countries and discussed the current situation of trade and economic growth between both countries, especially after Covid.

“Indonesia and Pakistan shared a similar history of independence and war against terrorism and now Indonesia’s model of tolerance is on the right path of recovery and on the path of growth,” said the former diplomat.

The webinar was chaired by KCFR’s Co-Chairman Admiral Khalid Mir while at the end the organisation’s Chairman Ikram Sehgal thanked the Indonesian ambassador for taking part in the webinar.