ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday conferred Pakistan’s highest civilian award on Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim in recognition of his support for Islamic causes and for being a great friend of Pakistan, Pakistani state media reported.
Ibrahim arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday on a three-day visit along with a delegation of ministers and senior officials to hold wide-ranging talks on trade, connectivity, energy, agriculture, the halal food industry, tourism, and cultural and educational exchanges.
The Malaysian prime minister has been a prominent advocate of humanitarian causes and Islamic values, and his leadership is marked by a profound commitment to promoting social justice and addressing global issues affecting the Islamic world, according to a report by the Radio Pakistan broadcaster.
He has also been a voice for self-determination movements and has particularly stood against oppression across the world. The award, which honors those who render “services of highest distinction” to the national interest of Pakistan, was conferred upon him at a special investiture ceremony in Islamabad.
“The Malaysian Prime Minister continues to work tirelessly to counter Islamophobia, striving to create interfaith harmony by fostering understanding and respect between different cultures and religions,” the report read.
The investiture ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, federal ministers, services chiefs, diplomats, and senior government officials, followed by a state dinner in honor of PM Ibrahim and his delegation.
Separately, the Malaysian prime minister met Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir and discussed with him bilateral strategic interests, regional security and defense cooperation.
“He emphasized on the need for increasing bilateral ties, particularly military relations, among the two brotherly countries and extended an invitation to the COAS (chief of army staff) to visit Malaysia in the same context,” the Pakistani military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said in a statement.
Ibrahim’s visit comes as Islamabad pushes for foreign investment from allies and beyond in a bid to shore up its $350 billion economy, while navigating tough reforms mandated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as part of a $7 billion bailout.
Earlier on Thursday, PM Sharif and his Malaysian counterpart agreed to set up a trade office in Karachi, while Islamabad will increase its halal meat and basmati rice exports to the Southeast Asian country, Sharif’s office said.
“As part of the efforts to boost bilateral trade, both leaders agreed that Pakistan would export Halal meat worth $200 million per annum and 100,000 metric tons of Basmati Rice to Malaysia,” Pakistani state news agency APP reported after Sharif and Ibrahim addressed a joint press stakeout.
Trade between Malaysia and Pakistan currently stands at $1.4 billion, including in palm oil, apparel, textiles, chemical and chemical-based products, and electrics and electronic products. Among South Asian countries, Pakistan is Malaysia’s third-largest trading partner.
