Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said he was sad he could not attend a summit of Muslim leaders in Malaysia in December last year, announcing that he will participate in the next Kuala Lumpur Summit.
“Unfortunately our friends, who are very close to Pakistan as well, felt that somehow the conference was going to divide the Ummah,” Imran Khan said at a joint press conference with his Malaysia counterpart Dr Mahathir Mohammed at Putrajaya. “It is clearly a misconception, as that was not the purpose of the conference,” he said. “Now it is evident that the KL summit was not to divide but to unite the Ummah. So, of course I would come next time,” he said. Asked if skipping the KL Summit had an impact on ties with other Muslim states, he said, “No, it did not affect relations with other Muslim countries.”
Prime Minister Imran Khan said Pakistan will buy more palm oil from Malaysia to try and compensate after top buyer India put curbs on Malaysian imports last month in retaliation after Malaysia criticised India’s new religion-based citizenship law and its policy on Kashmir.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said that he discussed palm oil with Imran Khan and that Pakistan has indicated it will import more from Malaysia.
“That’s right, especially since we noticed India threatened Malaysia for supporting the Kashmir cause, threatened to cut palm oil imports,” Imran Khan said. “Pakistan will do its best to compensate for that,” he added.
The two leaders agreed to explore trade and investment potential of their countries for a relationship based on strong economic cooperation. They spoke about the areas of collaboration, particularly trade, investment, defence, law enforcement, tourism and education.
Imran Khan said the purpose of his visit is to further strengthen ties between Pakistan and Malaysia in view of their tremendous future in trade and investment cooperation. “We held talks based on the idea to develop much greater trade relationship, investment and joint collaboration in defence,” he said, about the one-on-one meeting with his Malaysian counterpart. He said Pakistan’s strategic location has made it a big investment market particularly the access to Chinese market through China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and its Special Economic Zones.
Imran Khan thanked Prime Minister Mahathir for speaking up for Kashmiris, who face a curfew for last six months by the Indian government. “You have spoken for the justice for Kashmiris, for which we are thankful,” the prime minister said in reference to the categorical statements of Dr Mahathir on Kashmir from time to time that drew ire of India, cutting off of import of Malaysian palm oil.
Dr Mahathir termed the meeting with Imran Khan having discussion on issues of common interest to open doors of opportunities for our people. “There is a new face of our relationship based on greater cooperation needed to meet the challenges of our time,” he said, and expressed commitment to partnership in strengthening relations in best interest of both countries.
“Prime Minister Imran Khan and I had a substantive discussion on bilateral cooperation as well as on regional and international issues,” he said, adding that it reflects the mutual commitment to strengthen a long history of bilateral relations.
The two sides also agreed to increase exchange visits at all levels to set the tone of future course of bilateral relations.
Mahathir said the meeting called for further collaboration between various ministries and agencies of the two countries and welcomed the successful convening of bilateral consultations between senior officials of both ministries of foreign affairs as the key forum to intensify engagements at working level.
Mahathir said on economic cooperation, there existed huge potential in both countries to develop partnership particularly in trade and investments and to establish network between various economies and linkages among private sector. He reaffirmed the importance of Malaysia and Pakistan’s closer economic partnership signed on November 8, 2007, in Kuala Lumpur and expressed satisfaction on agreement for regular discussion to remove barriers in key areas and address the bilateral goods in balance. He said Malaysia looks forward to convene the fourth joint committee meeting in Islamabad.
To a question on prospects of investment in Pakistan, he said the country has got developing population of 200 million and their needs can be met through joint ventures with Malaysia. He mentioned setting up of Photon car’s automotive plant in Pakistan, which he said will go further into engineering businesses.
The two countries also signed a treaty of extradition as part of a cooperative law enforcement process between the two countries. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Malaysia’s Law Ministerb Liew Vui Keong inked the treaty at a ceremony witnessed by Prime Minister Imran Khan and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed at the PM Office, Putrajaya.
Mahathir said the Treaty ‘reinforced positive momentum in bilateral relationship by enhancing security and transnational crime cooperation’. “Any criminal, may it a terrorist or an ordinary criminal, having committed crime in Malaysia and trying to hide in other country with which we have extradition, will not be able to get refuge,” he said.
Prime Minister Imran Khan termed the signed treaty an important milestone in cooperation with Malaysian in law enforcement sector. He mentioned that a wanted Pakistani criminal involved in a number of murders was extradited from Malaysia even before the signing of the treaty.
Later in the day, Prime Minister Imran Khan left for home after concluding his two-day official visit to Malaysia on the invitation of prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He was seen off by Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato Saifuddin and Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu at Bunga Raya Complex, Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
