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On Wednesday, 7 August 2024, Ambassador Dato' Azhar attended a Roundtable Session titled, “Pakistan and ASEAN: A Growing Partnership,” as part of commemoration of ASEAN Day, hosted by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI). The event was attended by Heads of Missions from ASEAN member states in Islamabad and Pakistan’s Heads of Missions in ASEAN capitals. During the session, seven (7) Islamabad-based ASEAN Heads of Mission (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) provided constructive input to strengthen ASEAN-Pakistan relations.

In his opening remarks, Sohail Mahmood, Director General of ISSI emphasised the growing partnership between Pakistan and ASEAN, highlighting the collaborative efforts with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the ASEAN Committee in Islamabad (ACI). He acknowledged the leadership of ACI, which is currently chaired by High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam, Col. (Retired) Pengiran Haji Kamal Bashah Bin Pengiran Haji Ahmad and the valuable contributions of ASEAN Heads of Missions. He underscored ASEAN’s global salience, noting its economic prowess with a GDP of $3.67 trillion and its strategic relevance in maintaining regional stability and economic integration, including through initiatives like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). . Mahmood also highlighted the expanding scope of collaboration, including trade, counter-terrorism, security, and people-to-people exchanges, with bilateral trade reaching nearly $11 billion in 2022.

Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific) Imran Ahmed Siddiqui highlighted the significant achievements of ASEAN over the past 57 years, emphasizing the successful cooperation among member states towards the shared vision of “One Vision, One Identity, One Community.” He also underscored the potential for Pakistan to enhance collaboration with ASEAN in trade, economic, political, security, and social and cultural domains, drawing also on shared heritage such as the Gandhara Civilization and Islamic culture. Future avenues for enhanced cooperation were identified including tourism, climate change, counter-terrorism, combating Islamophobia, and cyber security.

Ambassador Dato' Mohammad Azhar Mazlan, High Commissioner of Malaysia to Pakistan, during his statement emphasized Malaysia’s dedication to making the ASEAN Summit 2025 a success under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. With 257 high-level meetings planned by June 2025, involving leaders, ministers, and officials, Ambassador Azhar highlighted that Malaysia is fully focused on advancing ASEAN’s key pillars of security, politics, economy, and socio-cultural development. He noted that Malaysia is eager to collaborate with ASEAN partners to fully realize the region’s collective potential.

Ambassador Azhar also acknowledged the importance of ASEAN’s partnership with Pakistan, citing Pakistan’s continuous support for the ASEAN Community. He emphasized that this partnership has facilitated deeper cooperation across political-security, economic, and socio-cultural domains. With the ASEAN-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement in effect since 2013, Ambassador Azhar noted that trade between ASEAN and Pakistan reached nearly USD 11 billion in 2022, with expectations for this figure to grow to USD 20 billion by 2030.

Looking ahead, Ambassador Azhar expressed optimism about the potential of the ASEAN-Pakistan relationship, stating that both regions could evolve into an economic powerhouse by 2050. He pointed out that the World Bank projects Pakistan to be among the top 20 largest economies by mid-century, provided it addresses challenges in areas such as the economy, climate, and politics. Malaysia, he stressed, is prepared to collaborate with Pakistan to address these challenges and further strengthen bilateral ties.

In closing, Ambassador Azhar reflected on the strong diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Pakistan, which were established in 1957 and elevated to a strategic partnership in 2019. He highlighted the shared achievements of both nations, including being the first Muslim countries to sign a Free Trade Agreement in 2007. Ambassador Azhar expressed confidence in the future of Malaysia-Pakistan relations, citing the countries' shared history, values, and commitment to deepening cooperation across multiple sectors.