PUTRAJAYA: Pakistan and Malaysia on Monday agreed to deepen their bilateral defence and counter-terrorism cooperation, calling for peace in the Pak-India subcontinent.
The agreement was reached during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s three-day official visit to Malaysia, at the invitation of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
In a joint press conference, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim highlighted the current “geopolitical uncertainties”, stressing the need to further enhance collaboration in defence, counter-terrorism and emerging technologies.
“We are hoping to establish peace in the Pakistan-India subcontinent, which is crucial for stability in the region,” Prime Minister Anwar said.
A Light-hearted Moment
On a lighter note, Prime Minister Anwar shared a humorous moment regarding the import of $200 million worth of Halal meat from Pakistan. He referred to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as his “brother,” recalling their meeting the previous day.
“I welcomed him at the hotel last night, and he politely suggested diplomatically but he also harassed, but in a good way,” Anwar Ibrahim quipped, prompting laughter in the press conference room.
According to a statement issued, the two leaders held bilateral talks to review the state of Malaysia–Pakistan relations and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual concern.
Economic and Trade Relations
Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to promoting balanced and sustainable economic ties through enhanced market access, business facilitation, and the effective utilisation of the Malaysia–Pakistan Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (MPCEPA).
Read More: More Arab countries seek defence agreements with Pakistan after Saudi pact: Dar
Palm oil exports
Malaysia expressed its intent to expand palm oil exports to Pakistan, in response to growing demand in Pakistan’s food processing and manufacturing sectors. Both sides agreed to maintain a stable and sustainable supply chain while upholding environmentally responsible practices.
Halal Industry Cooperation
Acknowledging the rising global demand for halal products and services, the leaders agreed to enhance collaboration in halal certification, food supply chains, and product manufacturing.
Defence and Security Cooperation
The leaders expressed satisfaction with the strong ongoing defence collaboration under the purview of the Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation (JCDC) platform, since its establishment in 1997.
Cooperation between the two countries has been tremendously strengthened through high-level visits, regular bilateral meetings at ministerial and military levels, military-to-military engagements and defence industry linkages, the statement said.
Both sides also agreed to further deepen the bilateral defence cooperation, particularly in the field of defence science, technology, and industry, through knowledge and technology transfer.
Connectivity and Aviation
Recognising the importance of aviation in boosting connectivity, both sides agreed to expand air traffic rights to enable more direct flights, thereby enhancing business, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.
Cybersecurity and Counterterrorism
Both countries committed to enhancing cooperation in cybersecurity, the fight against transnational organized crime, terrorism, and terrorism financing, as well as combating cybercrime. They agreed to increase information sharing and technical collaboration to address emerging security threats.