KARACHI: Pakistan and Malaysia have emphasised the need to strengthen bilateral trade, investment, parliamentary diplomacy and people-to-people exchanges to further consolidate longstanding relations between the two countries.
The emphasis was made at the 5th Pakistan Malaysia Friendship Association (PMFA) Appreciation Awards Ceremony, held local hotel with Speaker Provincial Assembly of Sindh Syed Awais Qadir Shah attending as the chief guest.
The ceremony was hosted by PMFA President Shahid Jawed Qureshi, while Mohd Yunus Ibrahim, Consul General of Malaysia in Karachi, attended as the guest of honour.
Diplomatic representatives from Malaysia, Oman, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Qatar, along with business leaders, members of civil society and other distinguished guests, also attended.
Addressing the gathering, Awais Qadir said Pakistan and Malaysia enjoyed longstanding relations based on mutual respect, shared values and cultural harmony. He stressed the importance of strengthening parliamentary diplomacy, trade relations and people-to-people exchanges.
Referring to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Regional Conference hosted by the Provincial Assembly of Sindh earlier this year, which was attended by Malaysian parliamentary representatives, he said such engagements provided opportunities for exchanging experiences between parliamentary institutions and promoting democratic values.
He said Sindh, particularly Karachi, offered significant opportunities for Malaysian investors in trade, agriculture, infrastructure, technology, education and tourism. He stressed the need to translate friendly relations into meaningful economic cooperation and tangible initiatives.
PMFA President Shahid Jawed Qureshi said bilateral trade had crossed USD1.5 billion annually, adding that considerable untapped potential existed in pharmaceuticals, healthcare, education, tourism, technology and investment.
The association presented an honorary shield to the Speaker in recognition of his participation as chief guest. Qureshi expressed hope that bilateral friendship and cooperation would continue to grow.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026