QUETTA( WNAM REPORT): Charge d’Affaires of the embassy of the Republic of Indonesia to Pakistan, Rahmat Hindiarta Kusuma has said that the current annual bilateral trade between Pakistan and Indonesia is $4۔5 billion, which is much less than its potential which needs to be further increased.
In Pakistan, Economic Diplomacy and People to People Contact is the main priority of the Indonesian Government and our arrival in Balochistan is a part of this agenda. Rahmat Hindiarta Kusuma said this while visited the Quetta Press Club along with his economic team.
President Quetta Press Club along with Senior Journalist received the Indonesian delegation in Club.
He said that he felt that there is a lot of potential in the business community, media and civil society in Balochistan, which can prove to be an important factor in the mutual relations between Pakistan and Indonesia. He said that his visit to Balochistan is a part of economic diplomacy, which aims to increase relations and links with the local business community and the private sector.
Apart from this, he visited the press club and local markets for people to contact people, which increased his knowledge about the local culture.
On this occasion, he said that we have invited the business community of Balochistan to participate in the trade expo to be held in Indonesia in October, in which the local business community has supported. He said that this trade expo held in Indonesia is one of the biggest business activities in the world in which businesses from 116 countries will participate. On this occasion, he said that Pakistan has 400 students studying in Indonesia on scholarship and there is a possibility of further increase. In response to a question, he said that there are opportunities for students of Balochistan to study in Indonesia and get scholarships from which local students can benefit.
On this occasion, he said that a quota can be given in the scholarship for the students of Balochistan, which will increase their opportunities for education in Indonesia. He said that Indonesia is an emerging economy where there are opportunities for Pakistani businessmen and efforts are being made on both sides in this regard. He said that Indonesia and Pakistan are bound in historical religious and cultural ties and so are our economic and trade relations.
He said that the founders of both countries, Ahmad Sukarno, the founder of Indonesia, and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, were very good friends, and during their time, the foundation of the relationship between the two countries was very strong. He said that we need to transfer this legacy to the younger generation, which will strengthen the relations between the two countries. He said that the media of both countries should play their full role for the strengthening of mutual relations.