Putrajaya, Malaysia:
The leaders of Pakistan and Malaysia resolved on Monday to reignite bilateral cooperation and adopt a “more aggressive and forward-looking policy,” including exploring avenues for collaboration under the strategic ASEAN economic bloc umbrella.
The renewed commitment came during a series of productive meetings between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Malaysian counterpart, Anwar Ibrahim. During his three-day official visit, PM Sharif finalized six accords and multiple trade and bilateral agreements on Monday.
Host PM Ibrahim noted that despite their long-standing ties, relations between the two nations had become “somewhat stagnated,” necessitating a renewed, practical approach anchored in clear economic policies. He emphasized that modern cooperation must be grounded in economic pragmatism, stating, “We have realized that dependency on one country, one system, will be futile. We need, therefore, to expand trade relations.”
PM Shehbaz congratulated his Malaysian counterpart on Malaysia’s forthcoming chairmanship of ASEAN and secured a reaffirmation of Malaysia’s support for Pakistan’s bid to become a Full Dialogue Partner of the bloc.
Deepening Defence, Aviation, and Health Cooperation
As part of their efforts to deepen ties, both nations agreed to further strengthen cooperation across defence, aviation, public health, and cybersecurity. A joint statement expressed satisfaction with the ongoing defence collaboration under the Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation (JCDC), agreeing to specifically deepen ties in defence science, technology, and industry through knowledge and technology transfer.
Recognizing the vital role of connectivity, both leaders agreed to enhance air travel services and explore opportunities for increased flight routes, which would strengthen economic, business, and tourism links.
On the civilian front, Anwar and Shehbaz agreed to explore collaboration in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices aimed at enhancing public health and commercial exchanges.
Alignment on Regional Security and Global Issues
The leaders held detailed discussions on major regional and international developments, including the situation in the Middle East. The Malaysian Prime Minister praised Pakistan’s constructive role in ongoing peace efforts concerning Palestine, including support for US President Donald Trump’s recent initiative for Gaza.
The two sides also committed to enhancing cooperation in tackling common security threats. They agreed to bolster cybersecurity and anti-transnational crime efforts, including combating terrorism, terror financing, and cybercrime, through the continuous exchange of information and expertise.
To formalize these commitments, officials exchanged several pre-signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) spanning various sectors, including diplomatic training, higher education cooperation, tourism promotion, and an agreement to expand cooperation in combating and preventing corruption.
