Celina Ali
Jakarta: Pakistan this week reaffirmed its strong commitment to deepening cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) across a broad spectrum of strategic sectors, underscoring its resolve to build a more robust and mutually beneficial partnership with the regional bloc.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Indonesia and Permanent Representative to ASEAN, Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, made the remarks while co-chairing the ASEAN–Pakistan Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee (APJSCC) meeting, where officials reviewed the progress of bilateral engagement and explored new avenues to further strengthen collaboration.
Ambassador Chaudhri said Pakistan remains firmly committed to expanding its engagement with ASEAN through practical cooperation in areas of shared interest, reflecting Islamabad’s broader vision of enhancing regional connectivity, economic integration and sustainable development.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s determination to further strengthen its partnership with ASEAN across a wide range of sectors, including energy, food security, maritime cooperation, the digital economy, socio-cultural exchanges and political cooperation.
The envoy highlighted the importance of sustained dialogue and institutional engagement in advancing Pakistan-ASEAN relations, noting that closer cooperation would contribute to regional peace, economic resilience and shared prosperity.
He emphasized that expanding collaboration in emerging sectors such as the digital economy and maritime affairs offers significant opportunities for innovation, trade, investment and knowledge sharing, while stronger cooperation on food and energy security can help address common regional challenges.
Ambassador Chaudhri also underscored the importance of enhancing people-to-people contacts and socio-cultural exchanges to foster greater mutual understanding and strengthen the longstanding ties between Pakistan and ASEAN member states.
The Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee reviewed ongoing initiatives under the ASEAN-Pakistan partnership and discussed ways to accelerate the implementation of collaborative projects aimed at delivering tangible benefits for both sides.
Pakistan has steadily expanded its engagement with ASEAN in recent years through increased political dialogue, trade and investment cooperation, connectivity initiatives and collaboration in education, science, technology and sustainable development.
Reaffirming Islamabad’s long-term commitment to the partnership, Ambassador Chaudhri said Pakistan looks forward to working closely with ASEAN member states to further broaden cooperation, promote regional stability and unlock new opportunities for inclusive economic growth and development across the region.
