Indonesia–Pakistan relations

Indonesia-Pakistan relations

Indonesia
Pakistan

Pakistan-Indonesia relationship are particularly special, founded on common mutual religious outlook. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim- majority country, whereas Pakistan is the world's second most populous Muslim-majority country. Both countries are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and Developing 8 Countries. Pakistan has an embassy in Jakarta,[1] whereas Indonesia has an embassy in Islamabad,[2] and a Consulate General in Karachi. According to a 2014 BBC World Service Poll, 40% of Indonesians view Pakistan's influence positively, with 31% expressing a negative view, making Indonesia (along with Nigeria) the country with the most positive perception of Pakistan in the world.[3]

History

During the Indonesian National Revolution, Muhammad Ali Jinnah encouraged Muslim soldiers serving in British Indian army to join hands with Indonesians against their fight against the Dutch Imperial colonisation of Indonesia. As a result, 600-Muslim soldiers of the British Indian Army deserted the colonial forces putting their lot at stake, allied with Indonesians.[4] Out of these 600 soldiers, 500 of them died in war; while the survivors returned to Pakistan or continued to live in Indonesia. As a recognition of Muslim soldiers from Pakistan, during Indonesia Golden Jubilee celebration on August 17, 1995, Indonesia granted Independence War Awards to the living ex-Pakistani soldiers and awarded the highest honor Adipura to the founding father of Pakistan Mohammad All Jinnah and the government of Pakistan.[5]

Pakistan's relationship with Indonesia greatly developed under Gen. Ayub Khan. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Indonesia offered to provide Pakistan with military help, and 'to seize Andaman and Nicobar Islands' of India so as to distract it from the Kashmir front.[6][7]

According to a 2014 BBC World Service Poll, 40% of Indonesians view Pakistan's influence positively, with 31% expressing a negative view, making Indonesia (along with Nigeria) the country with the most positive perception of Pakistan in the world.[3]

On 8 May 2015, the spouse of Indonesian ambassador for Pakistan, Heri Listyawati Burhan Muhammad, was killed in a helicopter crash in the mountainous northern region of Gilgit.[8] While her husband, Burhan Muhammad, ambassador of Indonesia, were among the injured, and later died because of his wounds in a Singaporean hospital on 19 May.[9] The crash also killed other diplomats, which include the ambassadors of Norway and the Philippines to Pakistan, as well as the spouse of the Malaysian diplomat.[10]

Defence cooperations

Pakistan has signed a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation (DCA).[11] One of the key terms of the DCA is an offer for Indonesia to take part in joint-manufacturing between Pakistan and China of the JF-17 fighter jet. Indonesia and Pakistan also exchange military personnel for training.[12]

Trade relationship

Bilateral trade between Pakistan and Indonesia is worth around US$1 billion.[4][13] Pakistani exports to Indonesia include[14][15] kinnow, seafood, textiles, cotton yarn, medical equipment, rice, wheat and carpets while Indonesia exports palm oil to Pakistan.[13]

People traffic

Apart from the Pakistanis living in Indonesia, there are close to 100 Indonesian students studying in various Pakistani universities.[16] Also at any given time there are several Pakistani military personnels training in Indonesian military academies, whereas there are also several Indonesian military personnel training in Pakistani military academies.[12] Pakistanis in Singapore and Malaysia also travel to Indonesia as short term tourist visitor, because of close geographic proximity of Indonesia to Malaysia and Singapore, and many tourist attraction Indonesia offers. Members of Pakistani Tablighi Jamaat also travel to Indonesia for religious propagation, and Islamic religious students from Indonesia come to Pakistan for religious education.[17]

Humanitarian cooperation

Pakistan Army Task Force and the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association provided medical and relief items to Indonesia, following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, whereas Indonesia has been instrumental in sending 15 tons of medicine and food supplies amounting to the equivalent of $1 million and dispatching some doctors to Pakistan during the 2010 Pakistan floods.[18]

Bilateral visits

Indonesia’s President Megawati Sukarnoputri paid a 3-days official visit to Islamabad in Dec 2003.[19] Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited Pakistan in 2005.[15] Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf visited Indonesia in Jan 2007, and held talks with president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.[20] In November 2010, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi visited Indonesia and held bilateral talks on trade, terrorism and current situation in Afghanistan and Middle East[21]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Pakistan embassy in Jakarta
  2. ↑ Indonesian embassy in Islamabad
  3. 1 2 "2014 BBC World Service poll" (PDF).
  4. 1 2 Pakistan aims for better relations with Indonesia beyond politics
  5. ↑ INDONESIAN CONSULATE GENERAL IN KARACHI
  6. ↑ The new international politics of South Asia by Vernon Hewitt, Vernon Marston Hewitt, Manchester University Press ND, 1997, p 126
  7. ↑ The new international politics of South Asia By Vernon Hewitt
  8. ↑ "Pakistan helicopter crash kills Norwegian, Philippine ambassadors". Reuters. 9 May 2015.
  9. ↑ "RI ambassador to Pakistan dies in Singapore". thejakartapost.com. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  10. ↑ Asad Hashim (8 May 2015). "Pakistan helicopter carrying foreign diplomats crashes". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  11. ↑ Indonesia, Pakistan to Share Defense Expertise
  12. 1 2 Pakistan, Indonesia ink defence pact
  13. 1 2 Indonesia – Pakistan Trade Agreement to be Signed in 2011
  14. ↑ Textile and seafood: Indonesia pressed to provide concessions
  15. 1 2 Pakistan wants closer trade ties with RI: Envoy
  16. ↑ Ghulam Murtaza Khoso, "PAKISTAN–INDONESIA RELATIONS," Feasea Factfile, September 2007, Vol 3, No 9, page 7.
  17. ↑ Farish A. Noor, "The Arrival and Spread of the Tablighi Jama'at In West Papua (Irian Jaya), Indonesia," RSIS (Singapore) Working Paper, No 191, 10 February 2010.
  18. ↑ Editorial: Solidarity for Pakistan
  19. ↑ Megawati arrives, formal talks today
  20. ↑ Pakistan and Indonesia urge peace
  21. ↑ Pakistan, Indonesia to work closely against terrorism: Qureshi
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