By Anzal Amin
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday conferred Nishan-e-Pakistan, the highest civil award of Pakistan, on President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo in a special investiture ceremony held here at Aiwan-e-Sadr.
The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif; Chairman Senate, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani; Speaker National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq; members of the federal cabinet; Governor Sindh, Kamran Tessori; Governor Gilgit-Baltistan, Syed Mehdi Shah; Prime Minister of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore; Chief of Defence Forces, Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir; Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu; Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf NI (M); parliamentarians and members of the diplomatic corps.
Earlier, a meeting was held between the two leaders which focused on historic ties between the two countries, shared values and the long-standing foundations laid by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and President Sukarno.
Both Presidents noted the longstanding ties between Pakistan and Indonesia and agreed that their relationship continues to rest on shared values and long-standing goodwill. They expressed the intent to work more closely for peace, stability and prosperity.
President Zardari conveyed his heartfelt condolences over the tragic loss of life and the widespread devastation caused by the recent floods and landslides in Sumatra. He prayed for eternal peace for those who lost their lives and wished a swift and full recovery to all those injured in this calamity.
The two leaders also spoke about their commitment to promoting interfaith harmony, tolerance and inclusive development, while agreeing that these principles would guide their future cooperation.
They reviewed the state of bilateral trade and appreciated the steady rise in economic engagement.
The President highlighted the need for more balanced market access and diversification of Pakistan’s exports. Both sides welcomed the establishment of the Joint Trade Committee as a useful forum for addressing trade issues and encouraging business linkages.
The meeting discussed areas where economic cooperation could expand, including information technology, renewable energy, agriculture, halal products, tourism and infrastructure.
Both sides underlined the value of working together on climate resilience, disaster management and sustainable development, given the shared challenges facing the two countries.
The two leaders agreed to further strengthen their defence cooperation including through training and joint production. They reaffirmed close coordination between both the countries at multilateral forums, including efforts to counter Islamophobia and support Muslim unity. Matters relating to the regional and international situation also came under discussion.
While underscoring the need for peace, security and prosperity for the region, the President briefed the visiting dignitary on the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
The extended meeting was attended by senior members of both sides. From the Indonesian side the participants included Airlangga Hartarto, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs; Sugiono, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Teddy Indra Wijaya, Cabinet Secretary; Brian Yuliarto, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology; Mr Agung Surachman, Deputy Head of Private Secretary; Air Chief Marshal Mohamed Tonny Harjono, Chief of Air Staff; Lt Gen Djon Afriandi, Commander General of Army Special Forces; Air Marshal Yusuf Jauhari, Head of Defence Logistics Agency and Ambassador of Indonesia to Pakistan.
The Pakistan side included Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister; Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Defence; Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Commerce; Senator Saleem Mandviwala; Syed Naveed Qamar, MNA; Secretary Foreign Affairs and Ambassador of Pakistan to Indonesia.
The two leaders also held a brief tête à tête to review the bilateral relationship. Following the ceremony, a state banquet was held in honour of the visiting President.
