‘Indonesia to play significant role for connecting Pakistan to ASEAN market’

Islamabad : Ambassador of Indonesia to Pakistan, Adam Mulawarman Tugio has said that Indonesia can play a significant role in providing economic and trade opportunities to Pakistan and to provide connectivity with 623 million of Association of southeast Asian Nations (ASEANs) potential trade market.

In addition, Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has been signed for free trade with ASEAN countries, including Indonesia’s Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which allows Pakistan to benefit from it through Indonesia, the Ambassador said this while talking to National Press Club (NPC) Islamabad Executive Body members and other media person in NPC, Islamabad.

The former President, Pakistan Union of Journalist (PFUJ) Muhammad Afzal Butt, Secretary Finance NPC, Nayyer Ali, Vice President NPC Myra Imran, Joint Secretary Waqar Abbasi, including senior journalists Nadeem Chaudhry, Alamdar Hussain, and Kalb Ali attended the meeting.

The ambassador said that ASEAN countries, Asian Pacific countries, Australia and New Zealand are included in this Free Trade Agreement, which allows Pakistan to benefit from the emerging economic markets of these countries.

Today, regionalism is on the rise in the trading world that is why ASEAN is one of the largest trading blocs in the world, with the RCEP bloc accounting for 30% of world trade, which is important in global trade. He said that this century is the century of Asian region and the emerging economies in Asia have great trade and economic opportunities for the world.

The ambassador said that other economies, including Pakistan, need to be connected to the global supply chain so that they can reap the benefits of global trade and expand their trade. He said that China has a large share in the global supply chain and by joining it, a large share of world trade could be achieved.

He said that Pakistan and Indonesia have a trade market of about 500 million people with a combined population that needs to reap fruitful benefits. Adam M. Tugio said that joint trade between Pakistan and ASEAN countries including Indonesia was not in line with its potential. This requires further efforts in both and finding some untapped sectors in ASEAN and Pakistan. He said that there are ample opportunities in the global market including ASEAN for Pakistan's textile sector, local garments, and other agricultural products.

There is a PTA for free trade between Pakistan and Indonesia and now by signing the FTA, trade on both sides can be further enhanced. He also said that there is a great similarity between food and culture in Pakistan and Indonesia which includes many common dishes. The ambassador said that spices are used in Pakistani food which is produced in Indonesia in abundance. He further said that Pakistan and Indonesia have ample opportunities for cooperation in tourism.

Adam M. Tugio said that media could play a very important role in the relations between Pakistan and Indonesia and in this regard a series of discussions would be started with NPC, Islamabad on Journalist Exchange Programme. In response to a question, the Indonesian Ambassador said that there is a great potential for cooperation between the local media and the Indonesian media, in this regard “we will continue discussions with the NPC.

He said that the media has a very important role to play in the dialogue between communities around the world and the media can play a very important role in the current era for religious harmony. The Ambassador urged that all religions and communities in the world must take care of each other's religious sentiments and feelings. In response to a question, he said that a large number of Pakistani students are studying in local universities in Indonesia and most of them are on scholarships. Indonesia has provided the highest number of foreign scholarships to Pakistani students this year and the two countries need to further enhance cooperation in the field of education. Indonesia has provided the highest number of foreign scholarships to Pakistani students this year and the two countries need to further enhance cooperation in the field of education.

While speaking on the occasion, former president PFUJ, Muhammad Afzal Butt said that there is ample scope for cooperation between the media institutions of Pakistan and Indonesia, for which the NPC will work closely with the Indonesian Embassy in Islamabad. He also highlighted the different areas of cooperation between both sides.