Mohammad Azhar Mazlan
High Commissioner of Malaysia to Pakistan
As we ushered in the New Year 2024, I would like to take this opportunity to extend
my warmest greetings to the people and the government of Pakistan, the diplomatic
community, and the ASEAN fraternity in Islamabad. It is with a great sense of honour
that I write this article on the very topic that is close to my heart, i.e. Malaysia-Pakistan
relationship, looking towards 2024 while reflecting on 2023.
Growing Engagements
Over the past year, Malaysia and Pakistan have been witnessing growing engagements in multifaceted areas, including political, economic and trade, defence and security, tourism and education, health, human resources, and public administration. Both countries have elevated our relations to a strategic partnership in March 2019. The prospect of 2024 for our two brotherly nations forging ahead hand in hand towards peace, progress and prosperity offers a future full of hope and optimism for our nations and its peoples.
Prime Ministers of Pakistan and Malaysia Agree on Revitalization of the Joint Ministerial Commission
Generous Hospitality
Since my arrival in Pakistan a year ago, the generous hospitality and warm
reception extended to my spouse, and I not only reflected the strong ties and
commonalities between our two nations but also it touches our hearts at a personal
level. It was truly heartening for us to witness the tremendous goodwill, respect, and
genuine connections between the people of Malaysia and Pakistan. And for that, thank
you Pakistan!
Some Highlights from Last Year
I wish to cite some of 2023’s highlights between Malaysia and Pakistan. Both
Prime Ministers, the Honourable Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim,
and His Excellency Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, Prime Minister of Pakistan met in November
2023, at the sidelines of the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit in Riyadh.
During their meeting, apart from discussing our common position on
Palestinian-Israeli conflict, both leaders took stock of Malaysia-Pakistan bilateral
relationship, with a particular emphasis on enhancing economic ties. The two leaders
agreed to revitalize the Joint Commission Meeting at the Ministerial level to be held
possibly in 2024 at a mutually agreed date.
2nd Round of Pakistan-Malaysia Bilateral Political Consultations
2nd Bilateral Consultations
Earlier in March 2023, Malaysia and Pakistan convened the 2nd Bilateral
Consultations at the Deputy Secretary-General’s level of the Foreign Ministry. Both
sides discussed wide ranging topics, among others, from political and security,
cooperation in trade and investment, science and technology, health, tourism, and
cultural exchanges.
Defence Cooperation
On defence and military cooperation, Malaysia and Pakistan co-hosted the 14th
Meeting of Pakistan-Malaysia Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation (JCDC) in
November 2023 in Islamabad. During this meeting, His Excellency Datuk Seri Isham
Ishak, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Defence, led the Malaysian delegation.
This visit underscores the strategic alliance and shared commitment between the two
nations to further enhance security ties.
14th Meeting of Pakistan-Malaysia Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation (JCDC) held in Rawalpindi
Trade Volume
As we look forward to the year 2024, our economic landscape is promising.
Malaysia-Pakistan annual bilateral trade volume has surpassed USD 1.8 billion. I
believe this figure presents an enormous room and opportunities for both sides to
further strengthen trade and investment, especially in intensifying collaboration in,
among others, the palm oil and the halal industry for mutual benefit of our two nations
and peoples.
Halal Food Industry
For the cooperation in halal industry, Malaysia has set a target of USD 12 billion
for export revenue in the halal food industry by 2025 to benefit from the global halal
food market. Currently, Malaysia’s exports in the halal industry are USD 7.65 billion. I
see there are huge opportunities for cooperation in the halal food market. This sector
in Malaysia has an extensive network of value-added industries and multinational
companies such as Nestlé and Unilever that could connect Pakistan to the global
supply chain and huge markets like ASEAN.
Agriculture
Both Malaysia and Pakistan also have strength in the agriculture sector. There
is immense potential for collaboration, especially in the palm oil industry. Malaysia, as
one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of palm oil, while Pakistan, with its
growing sizable population and increasing consumption, presents a significant market.
Palm Oil Sector
Establishing a robust trade relationship in palm oil will contribute to food security
in Pakistan while supporting Malaysia’s palm oil industry. This collaboration can be
strategically aligned with sustainable and ethical practices of palm oil production
championed by Malaysia through the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO)
Certification Scheme. Currently, Malaysia accounted for 25.8% and 34.3% of the
world’s palm oil production and exports, respectively.
Companies’ Cooperation
Additionally, I would like to highlight that trade engagement between companies
from both sides were vibrant and multifaceted. Among others, during the Malaysia
International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) held in Kuala Lumpur in August 2023, 11
Pakistani companies participated in the event, while five (5) Malaysian companies
participated in the ASEAN Trade Show hosted by Lahore Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (LCCI) also in August 2023. I look forward to and expect more active and
productive exchanges in 2024.
Pakistani Malaysian Think Tanks Sign MoU on Cooperation in Research & Culture
Dialogue
On the High Commission’s side, my team and I have been actively engaged in
dialogues and strategic sessions with not only senior federal and provincial officials
but also various prominent trade and commerce chambers in key economic hubs
across Pakistan, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi, Faisalabad, Sialkot,
Lahore, Mardan, and Okara.
SIFC of Pakistan
These engagements were instrumental in setting a robust connection and
further strengthening relationship for Malaysia within the specific region in Pakistan.
In line with this effort, it is timely for Malaysian companies to utilize Pakistan’s Special
Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to further diversify economic activities between
our two nations. I also would like to encourage Pakistani investors to invest in Malaysia
in various areas, taking advantage of Malaysia’s conducive environment and central
location in the heart of the Southeast Asian region.
MTCP of Malaysia
In terms of capacity building, Pakistan is one of the recipient countries for the
Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP). Since its establishment in
1980, 764 participants from Pakistan have benefited from a range of MTCP courses
covering diverse areas comprising Islamic tourism, anti-corruption, counterterrorism,
palm oil industry, Islamic finance, technical training, and the halal industry. In August
2023, I had the opportunity to host a dinner with former Pakistani MTCP participants
to further engage and expand future efforts in technical cooperation.
Higher Education
In higher education, as of December 2023, there are over 5,000 Pakistani students currently enrolled in Malaysian public and private higher education institutions. It is my fervent hope that more Pakistani students will choose Malaysia as their preferred destination for studies. I want to assure Pakistani parents and aspiring students that the facilities and the environment in Malaysia are top-notch, as we offer quality education, cultural richness, and a comfortable and Islamic-friendly environment for Pakistani students.
P-to-P Contacts
On the other hand, I am pleased to note the positive developments in people-
to-people connections and tourism activities between Malaysia and Pakistan,
particularly in the promotion of highland tourist destinations. These destinations have
attracted immense interest among adventure and pleasure seekers in Malaysia.
Tourism
Drawing from my own experience, highland destinations such as those in the
Gilgit-Baltistan region, including the Himalayas, Karakoram Range, and Hindu Kush
Mountains, could be further promoted. The development could take inspiration from
the Malaysian experience of developing our highlands namely Genting and Cameron
Highlands as a tourism and amusement hub. I can assure you that the majority of
Malaysians are highly interested in visiting Pakistan, especially its hidden gem of
majestic rivers and mountains.
I would like to share that, during Pakistan’s 1st International Tourism Investment
Expo 2023 in August 2023, Malaysia’s tourism booth received more than 1,000 local
visitors and the majority expressed interest in visiting Malaysia. For 2023, Malaysia
has received a total of 26 million tourists from all over the world. This is the highest
number of tourist arrivals among countries in Southeast Asia.
In this regard, I would like to invite Pakistanis to visit and enjoy Malaysia’s
tourism destinations. Malaysia is home to world-class islands, golden beaches, blue
sea, and pristine rainforests as well as having one of the highest skyscrapers in the
world right in the middle of Kuala Lumpur.
Air Connectivity
On air connectivity, in November 2023, Malaysian owned airline Batik Air
(formerly known as Malindo Air) launched a new direct air route Kuala Lumpur to
Karachi sector flying thrice weekly. This is apart from the weekly flights for Kuala
Lumpur to Lahore sector. I am confident that with seamless connectivity, it would
further enhance people-to-people contacts as well as business engagements between
our two countries.
ENVOYS OF MALAYSIA, PORTUGAL, KOSOVO, LITHUANIA & ECUADOR PRESENT CREDENTIALS TO THE PRESIDENT
