Envoy Stresses Human Connection as Driver of Indonesia-Pakistan Partnership

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Pakistan’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, underscored that stronger people-to-people connections are the cornerstone of deepening ties between Islamabad and Jakarta.

Speaking at the Pakistani Embassy in Jakarta on Friday, June 26, 2026, Chaudhri highlighted the shared demographic strengths of both nations. Together, Indonesia and Pakistan represent more than a quarter of the global Muslim population, with Pakistan’s youth making up over 65 percent of its citizens.

“The key to closer relations lies in our people,” he said, as quoted by Antara, stressing that human capital will drive future economic growth.

He pointed to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as a vital sector for collaboration, noting their role as economic backbones in both countries.

“Pakistan and Indonesia both have strong MSME sectors. Strengthening cooperation here is crucial to spur growth and create more jobs, especially for young people,” Chaudhri explained.

The ambassador described President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to Pakistan in December as historic, symbolizing enhanced bilateral cooperation and respect for Indonesia’s leadership as the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation. During the visit, Pakistan awarded its highest civilian honor to President Prabowo.

Economic ties continue to expand, with bilateral trade valued at around USD 4.5 billion. Both countries are working to upgrade their Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) into a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), targeted for completion next year.

Defense cooperation is also advancing, with Pakistan providing training for Indonesian military officers and exploring joint defense production initiatives. Chaudhri emphasized that such collaboration strengthens both nations’ capacity to address evolving security challenges. ***