- ASEAN leaders and Pakistani officials call for deeper economic, technological, institutional and people-to-people ties as the two sides chart a forward-looking partnership
ISLAMABAD: Peace and security, shared prosperity and people empowerment must remain at the heart of ASEAN’s future, while its three core pillars—political-security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation—continue to provide a strong foundation for the evolving Pakistan-ASEAN partnership.
This was the central message delivered by H.E. Dr. Emmanuel R. Fernandez, Ambassador of the Philippines and current Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Islamabad (ACI), in his keynote address at a special seminar titled “Pakistan and ASEAN: Navigating Our Future Together.”
The seminar was organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan and the ASEAN Committee in Islamabad to commemorate the 59th ASEAN Day.
Dr. Fernandez underscored the importance of sustained engagement between Pakistan and ASEAN, noting that stronger cooperation could help both sides respond more effectively to emerging regional challenges while opening new avenues for mutually beneficial economic and strategic collaboration.
ASEAN-Pakistan Partnership Poised for Wider Cooperation
In a special video message, H.E. Dato’ Astanah Abdul Aziz, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN, highlighted the strong foundations of ASEAN-Pakistan relations and identified dialogue, economic and technological cooperation, connectivity and people-centred development as key areas for expanding the partnership.
She emphasised the importance of building on existing cooperation to create practical opportunities that can contribute to sustainable development and greater regional connectivity.
Representatives of ASEAN member states in Islamabad also reaffirmed their support for strengthening relations with Pakistan.
H.E. Colonel (R) Pengiran Haji Kamal Bashah, High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam; H.E. Mr. Pham Anh Tuan, Ambassador of Viet Nam; H.E. Mr. Wunna Han, Ambassador of Myanmar; H.E. Mr. Rongvudhi Virabutr, Ambassador of Thailand; Mr. Rahmat Hindiarta Kusuma, Minister Counsellor at the Embassy of Indonesia; and Mr. Mohamad Alif Syafiq Bin Mohd Faudzi, First Secretary and Deputy Head of Mission at the High Commission of Malaysia, called for greater practical cooperation across a broad range of sectors.
These included trade and investment, tourism, the digital economy, cybersecurity, agriculture and food security, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges.
Pakistan Reaffirms ASEAN Engagement
Ambassador Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, Pakistan’s Ambassador to ASEAN, reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to deepening its engagement with the regional bloc and reiterated Islamabad’s aspiration to attain Full Dialogue Partnership with ASEAN.
He highlighted the importance of stronger institutional engagement and expanded cooperation with ASEAN member states as Pakistan seeks to further integrate itself into regional economic and diplomatic networks.
Ms. Haseen Fatima, Deputy Director of the East Asia and Pacific Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted the steady growth of institutional cooperation between Pakistan and ASEAN. She emphasised the need to translate existing mechanisms and frameworks into concrete and measurable outcomes.
ISSI Calls for Results-Oriented Partnership
In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Moin-ul-Haque, Director General ISSI, described ASEAN as an important and successful model of regional cooperation and called for a more substantive, comprehensive and results-oriented Pakistan-ASEAN relationship.
He drew particular attention to the opportunities emerging from ASEAN’s economic integration and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world’s largest free-trade agreement by participating economic weight.
Ambassador Moin-ul-Haque proposed stronger engagement between ISSI and Pakistan’s business community to raise awareness of emerging opportunities in ASEAN markets and facilitate greater trade, investment and economic linkages.
Greater Academic and People-to-People Engagement
Earlier, Dr. Talat Shabbir, Director of the China-Pakistan Study Centre (CPSC), stressed the importance of sustained engagement, dialogue and greater mutual understanding between Pakistan and ASEAN.
In his concluding remarks, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman of the ISSI Board of Governors, called for a broader, deeper and forward-looking Pakistan-ASEAN partnership supported by stronger institutional, academic, business and think-tank linkages.
He emphasised that enhanced interaction among policymakers, scholars, business leaders and civil society could contribute significantly to developing a more dynamic and mutually beneficial relationship.
Building a Forward-Looking Partnership
The seminar reaffirmed the shared commitment of Pakistan and ASEAN to advancing their partnership through sustained dialogue, practical cooperation, stronger connectivity and people-centred development.
The discussions also highlighted the considerable potential for expanding cooperation in emerging fields such as digital transformation, technology, cybersecurity, trade and investment, tourism, food security and regional connectivity.
The event was attended by heads of mission and representatives of ASEAN member states, diplomats, academics, researchers and members of the media, reflecting broad interest in strengthening Pakistan’s engagement with one of the world’s most dynamic regional organisations.
BY: The Times Union
