‘From one brother to another:’ Envoy optimistic on potential to further Pakistan-phl partnership
ON the occasion of Pakistan’s 81st National Day on March 23, the Businessmirror was privileged to speak online with the Islamic republic’s incumbent ambassador Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad Kazi.
The Pakistani envoy recently made an inventory of the numerous areas that will bolster the excellent “brotherly” relations existing between his country and the Philippines, as well as his plans to strengthen those further.
The following is a continuation of the special feature on March 23:
ENVOYS&EXPATS: Please describe the bilateral ties between our countries.
AMBASSADOR KAZI: Soon after Pakistan gained independence in 1947 from colonial British rule, the Philippines was one of the first among the Southeast Asian countries to recognize our state. Your country opened its first consulate in Karachi in 1949, which was converted into a full-fledged embassy in 1956. So we have the blessing of having a very good start—right from the birth of my nation.
I would say we have an excellent relationship around these 70 years, and we have good economic cooperation. Despite the pandemic, it has shown an increase in value—in the range of $200 million. And there’s room for improvement.
Our economic ties and enterprises have been very good; same with our political relations. We never had any contending issues. Pakistan has had excellent cooperation and support from the Philippines and Asean, and we have also been supporting each other’s candidates in the international forum. We anticipate that these ties should continue.
What is the business landscape like for Pakistanis in this country?
SOME decades back, we already had excellent cooperation, because of the Colombo Staff College and the Asian Development Bank here. When Pakistani students started coming in the 1980s and 1990s, they had far better educational opportunities. Many of them founded a community and started developing programs and business ventures. They eventually settled here and established their businesses.
There now is a substantial number of Pakistanis locally, especially in Subic Bay, importing textiles, pharmaceuticals, surgical goods and machinery. Many own and operate these businesses, and have settled down here with food and other types of businesses. They are well settled, though not big in numbers—about a few thousands. I do not have the exact figures yet, but they are very prosperous, law-abiding, and lead happy lives here. I can say the same for Filipinos in Pakistan.
What facets of mutual cooperation will you be improving further?
THERE are certain specifics. Our trade value is quite low, compared to the potential increase between our two countries. We need to work on that, plus cultural image, peopleto-people contacts. I would focus on these in the times ahead.
We have some related agreements. Pakistan’s rice and kinnows, or citrus mandarin, had some importation hurdles, but these can still be improved.
There are various areas where Pakistan and the Philippines can perform together. Both have many commonalities, as they went through colonial rule and struggled for independence. We have preserved our national security and territorial integrity. We have faced terrors and challenges regionally and internally.
Our countries are among the most populous in Asia. We have unique strengths and capabilities as hardworking and enterprising nations. Filipino technicians, engineers, scientists and many others are in Pakistan and in Gulf countries. We have very good people to people interaction
out there. We share so many things—even our religious studies. Our religions are considered Abrahamic: Islam and Christianity.
Speaking of health care, I think we can export our pharmaceutical products after this pandemic. One compatriot is importing 350 kinds of medicines from Pakistan. There is a broad scope that Pakistanis can share with this country in exporting cheap medicines. President Duterte passed a resolution last year regarding the availability of economical medicines. Filipinos need these items at affordable prices. Pakistan produces these medicines at the most affordable prices in the region. Our surgical goods are also the best in the world; we can export those here. And when exports are good, we can have many of these products locally.
We actually have many similar items with the Philippines. I’m surprised that you have some of them at very economical prices: coconut, palm, machineries, electronics, and many others. At a level, these can cost low between our two countries.
I think we can exchange so much economically. Textile is one of your fields of specialization, while it is also the strength of Pakistan. I have seen balikbayan shops with local products. We can have an exchange of similar goods here in the Philippines.
In terms of people-to-people contacts, the cultural side is missing; as I have mentioned, we can be better on that. There are also educational exchanges that can be improved. The best nurses in the world are from the Philippines; we can bring your best practices in Pakistan for our healthcare professionals.
What would you like to achieve and accomplish in your tour of duty?
DURING my tenure, I will focus on a few things: One is political contacts, so that they will provide impedance to our economic content. We have a Joint-economic Commission, which saw a gathering for the first time in 2018. But we look forward to a second meeting very soon. Of course, the pandemic has derailed some of our programs and political-consultation talks. I anticipate that our countries will try to see that we can have more interactions to give impedance to our excellent ties.
The other angle is cultural. We have to promote people-to-people, cultural and educational contacts. Learning institutions in both countries are excellent. Many Pakistanis fondly cherish the memories of their education in the Philippines. Their degrees are well recognized globally. We envision that our educational and information-related content will also grow in the years ahead.
My priority is that our leaders visit each other’s countries as soon as the pandemic is over. Our prime minister should come over. The other is that your president should visit Pakistan, because our heads of state’s visits will bring some dynamics to have more agreements signed.
Your thoughts on our countries’ regional interactions.
WHAT can a brother expect from a brother? We have been together through thick and thin. I am happy that it has been a healthy relationship, despite regional challenges, and national interests. Your country has excellent relations with the United States and China. Pakistan also maintains the same relationship with both superpowers.
Pakistan also shares the same distinction of having vital relations with them. It has a strategic dialogue with the US as its most important NON-NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) ally of the US during the war on terrorism in the last two decades. We have been with them in SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization)—the same bilateral defense agreements as the Philippines with the US since the 1950s.
We had a similar mutual-defense treaty with America. We joined SEATO, and then the Baghdad pact for the region as a bulwark to contain Communism. So we have the same challenges.
Then, there are regional countries outside Asean. I am impressed that the Philippines has always extended the best possible assistance to my country’s full membership. Pakistan is already a sectoral dialogue partner of the region. We want to become a full dialogue partner of Asean, and the Philippines has been extending a constant hand of support in our every endeavor for such.
We are dialogue partners in the Asean Regional Forum. We have a defense agreement under consideration. We are looking forward to strengthening what we have achieved so far, to augment this relation in the days ahead. Of course, cultural and trade potential needs to be added with “flesh and muscle,” much more to the scope that we do have.
We have excellent relations; we have an excellent future to look forward to. As I have mentioned, our values and background convey that we are brotherly countries, developing together at every forum. We wish to continue these as part of strengthening our relations.
Curiously, have you been to the Philippines prior to your tenure?
IT is actually my first time; I came here last year in November—unfortunately, during the pandemic. Prior to that, I had been to other countries in the region, but not the Philippines. I was an official delegate for some familiarity meetings in Asean member-states. I served as Pakistan’s deputy ambassador in Malaysia from 2009 to 2012, so I know the region’s culture a bit.
But believe me, before landing here, deep down in my heart, I knew I am going to a place that is my home, which is “nearer” to my home, than in any other country.