DNA
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Tuesday celebrated ASEAN Day with a high-level diplomatic and business gathering, calling for a stronger, more structured and result-oriented economic partnership between Pakistan and ASEAN. The ceremony was attended by Dr. Emmanuel R. Fernandez, Ambassador of Philippines and Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Islamabad; Colonel (R) Pengiran Haji Kamal Bashah, High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam; Mr. Pham Anh Tuan, Ambassador of Vietnam; Mr. Wunna Han, Ambassador of Myanmar; Mr. Rongvudhi Virabutr, Ambassador of Thailand; Mr. Chandra Warsenanto Sukotjo, Ambassador Indonesia; Mr. Mohamad Alif Syafiq Bin Mohd Faudzi, Deputy Chief of Mission of Malaysia, along with senior ICCI office-bearers, members of the diplomatic corps and business leaders.
Philippine Ambassador and ASEAN Committee Chair Dr. Emmanuel R. Fernandez thanked ICCI for hosting the ASEAN Day celebration and said ASEAN-Pakistan friendship was no longer simply a relationship between governments but was increasingly a relationship between businesses, institutions, communities and people. Referring to the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN chairmanship theme, “Navigating Our Future Together,” he said the rapidly changing global economy, technological transformation, restructuring of supply chains and climate challenges made cooperation more important than ever. He urged Pakistani and ASEAN chambers, companies and entrepreneurs to work by saying that governments and embassies could open doors, while chambers such as ICCI could bring the right people together, but businesses must convert opportunities into partnerships.
In his welcome address ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood said the most enduring partnerships are built on trust and described ASEAN as a powerful bridge between people, economies and nations. He said ASEAN’s remarkable journey demonstrates that countries with different histories, cultures and levels of development can transform diversity into cooperation and shared prosperity. He stressed that the next chapter of Pakistan-ASEAN relations should increasingly be written in the language of trade, investment, technology, entrepreneurship and business-to-business partnerships.
Former President and Chairman ICCI Standing Committee on Diplomats Zafar Bakhtawari congratulated the ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN peoples and ASEAN diplomatic missions in Islamabad on the occasion of ASEAN’s anniversary. He highlighted the remarkable achievement of ASEAN in bringing diverse nations together under a common regional framework and said Pakistan viewed ASEAN as an important economic partner. He said Pakistan’s trade with ASEAN was around $10 billion but had substantial potential for expansion. He recalled Pakistan’s engagement with ASEAN, including its sectoral partnership and participation in the ASEAN Regional Forum, and called for Pakistan to be elevated to full dialogue partner status.
High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam Colonel (R) Pengiran Haji Kamal Bashah said ASEAN had demonstrated that countries of different sizes, cultures and contexts could build a strong community through mutual respect, cooperation and understanding. He emphasized that doing business with one ASEAN member could provide opportunities across the wider ASEAN market. Referring to ICCI’s engagement with ASEAN countries, he appreciated the Chamber’s business delegations and B2B initiatives and said the objective should be to make the ASEAN-ICCI bridge more practical and effective. He disclosed that Brunei was conducting a feasibility study to bring its national airline to Pakistan, which, he said, could significantly improve connectivity and facilitate trade, tourism and movement of commodities between the two sides.
Ambassador of Vietnam Mr. Pham Anh Tuan said Vietnam was determined to work with Pakistan and viewed Pakistan’s strategic geographical location and large market as important assets for expanding bilateral and regional economic cooperation. He emphasized the need to strengthen trade and investment linkages between Pakistan and ASEAN and underscored the importance of greater private-sector engagement, improved market access and stronger institutional cooperation.
Ambassador of Indonesia Mr. Chandra Warsenanto Sukotjo highlighted the longstanding friendship between Indonesia and Pakistan and recalled the spirit of solidarity between the two countries. He said ASEAN was one of the world’s most dynamic economic regions, while Pakistan, with its large market, strategic location and entrepreneurial private sector, was an important economic partner for ASEAN in South Asia. He supported efforts to upgrade the Indonesia-Pakistan trade framework into a comprehensive economic partnership agreement and invited ICCI and Pakistani businesses to participate in the 41st Trade Expo Indonesia 2026, scheduled for October 14–18, adding that around 100 Pakistani businesses had already applied.
The Thai Ambassador highlighted key challenges and opportunities in Pakistan-ASEAN economic relations, particularly the relatively low trade volume compared with the enormous potential of the two sides. He called for tariff reforms and stronger trade facilitation, while emphasizing that ICCI could play a key role in identifying practical solutions. He also stressed that ease of doing business, including simpler company registration, licensing and investment procedures, would be critical in attracting ASEAN investors to Pakistan. The Myanmar Ambassador appreciated ICCI for organizing the ASEAN Day celebration and for its consistent attention to ASEAN-Pakistan relations, saying the ASEAN community in Islamabad enjoyed strong relations with the Pakistani business community and valued the friendship and cooperation between the two sides.
Deputy Chief of Mission of Malaysia Mr. Mohamad Alif Syafiq Bin Mohd Faudzi said ASEAN, with a combined population of more than 680 million people, offered significant opportunities for trade, investment and business partnerships. He said Pakistan had always been an important and valued partner for Malaysia, with strong people-to-people ties and longstanding friendship. He identified food and agriculture, automotive, textiles, information technology, digital services, tourism, renewable energy and manufacturing as promising areas for closer cooperation and emphasized that governments could create the right environment, but businesses ultimately convert opportunities into trade and investment.
Senior Vice President ICCI Tahir Ayub, who moderated the ceremony, also welcomed the distinguished guests and emphasized the importance of sustained engagement between ICCI and ASEAN missions. Chaudhry Mohammad Ali, Chairman ICCI Standing Committee on ASEAN, highlighted the need for stronger institutional and business linkages. A special ASEAN Day cake was also cut, while shields were presented to the participating ambassadors and heads of mission as a gesture of appreciation. At the conclusion, ICCI Vice President Mohammad Irfan Chaudhry delivered the vote of thanks and expressed gratitude to the ASEAN heads of mission, diplomats and business community for participating in the celebration.
