Newswire
Karachi: Pakistan and Indonesia this week reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation, with both sides emphasizing the need to translate their longstanding friendly relations into a more robust commercial partnership.
The understanding emerged during a meeting between Indonesian Ambassador Chandra Warsenanto Sukotjo and Sindh Governor Syed Muhammad Nihal Hashmi at the Governor House in Karachi, where the two sides reviewed bilateral relations and explored new avenues for enhancing economic engagement.
The meeting, attended by Indonesian Consul General in Karachi M.D. Zakir and senior officials, focused on expanding trade, promoting investment, strengthening industrial cooperation and encouraging greater interaction between the business communities of the two countries.
Governor Nihal Hashmi highlighted Pakistan’s export potential, noting that products such as rice, mangoes, pharmaceuticals, surgical equipment and sports goods enjoy strong international demand and could secure a larger share of the Indonesian market through enhanced commercial cooperation.
He stressed the importance of promoting Pakistani rice more effectively in Indonesia and other international markets, describing it as one of the country’s most competitive agricultural exports.
The governor also pointed to significant opportunities for collaboration in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and the sports goods industry. He said closer engagement between private-sector enterprises, increased joint ventures and regular exchanges of trade delegations could substantially boost bilateral trade and investment.
Emphasizing the strong historical, religious and cultural bonds between Pakistan and Indonesia, Nihal Hashmi said the time had come to transform these traditional ties into a dynamic economic partnership capable of delivering mutual prosperity.
Ambassador Sukotjo acknowledged the popularity of Pakistani products in Indonesia, particularly rice, mangoes, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments and footballs, and expressed confidence that bilateral trade could be expanded through closer cooperation.
He noted that Pakistan imports nearly 90 percent of its palm oil requirements from Indonesia, underscoring the importance of existing commercial ties while pointing to considerable untapped potential for greater collaboration in trade, investment and industrial development.
The ambassador reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to further strengthening economic relations with Pakistan and expanding cooperation across mutually beneficial sectors.
Both sides agreed that sustained engagement between governments and the private sector would be essential to unlocking the full potential of Pakistan-Indonesia economic relations, creating new business opportunities and fostering long-term commercial partnerships.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Ambassador Sukotjo recorded his remarks in the guest book at the Governor House, marking his visit and reaffirming Indonesia’s commitment to deepening bilateral ties with Pakistan.
