Bureau Report
Nathiagali:Ambassador of Indonesia to Pakistan Adam M. Tugio said that Natiagli and the northern regions are of great importance in world tourism including Pakistan. The Indonesian Ambassador said that the important tourist spots on both sides, including Nathiagali, will play an important role in promoting tourism in Indonesia and Pakistan in the future.
Today, after addressing a ceremony of Indonesian Diaspora in Nathiagali, the Indonesian ambassador while talking to the local electronic media said, the beautiful scenery of Nathiagali with its natural beauty and colours will attract the people. In Nathiagali, these natural colors and natural scenes are of utmost importance, this natural beauty needs to be protected.
The Ambassador said that mutual tourism cooperation and other agreements regarding Nathiagali and other tourist spots in Pakistan and Indonesia cannot be ruled out in the near future.
Economic collaboration is going on in Indonesia and Pakistan, he said that mutual relations and collaboration are very important in the big cities of both countries. Adam said that there is a strong possibility of such agreements in Lahore and Karachi and along with this there should be discussions regarding the sister cities and the region in Nathiagali and Indonesian tourist places.This also will increase the cooperation in economic, trade and tourism sectors in both the parties.
He said that today we have organized a function in Nathiagali in which the people of Indonesian Diaspora living in Pakistan have been invited and here the issues related to their passports and other references have been discussed. Currently there are about 1000 Indonesian immigrants living in Pakistan. In today’s event, 25 such families have been invited, who have married Indonesian-Pakistani couples. Such intermarriages between Pakistani and Indonesian couples are in large numbers, which play an extremely important role in the mutual cultural ties between the two countries.
He said that since these Indonesian women are living in the Pakistani society and culture, their role in people-to-people contact between the two countries is extremely important, and they are important in promoting mutual relations between the people of the two countries in the future.
The ambassador said that the Indonesian Diaspora in Pakistan is the original voice of Indonesia through which economic, commercial, cultural and people-to-people relations can be strengthened in both countries.
Answering a question, he said that there are extensive plans for further strengthening of economic and trade relations between Pakistan and Indonesia, on which the governments of both sides are continuing to work. He said that investors from Indonesia and many Indonesian companies are ready to invest in Pakistan.
The Indonesian ambassador said that recently two Indonesian companies are doing business in Faisalabad and Karachi in the food sector and palm oil and there is hope for more such investments from Indonesian investors. Ambassador Adam said that the current trade between Pakistan and Indonesia is less than its potential and there is a need to increase the trade between the two countries at the current rate.
He said that there is cultural compatibility between Pakistan and Indonesia, which is important for the strengthening of mutual relations between the two countries. The Ambassador said that the talks on direct air flights between Pakistan and Indonesia are going on in both countries and there is hope for significant progress in this regard in the near future.
He said that a direct flight between Pakistan and Indonesia is expected from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Lahore, and discussions are ongoing with the two airlines in this regard. He said that starting direct flights between the two countries will not only increase bilateral relations between the people of both sides, but also increase the mutual economic and trade relations between Indonesia and Pakistan.
He said that the restoration of the air link in both countries will increase cooperation in the tourism sector on both sides and Indonesian tourists will be able to visit the tourist places of Pakistan like Nathiagali.
In response to a question, he said that Indonesia has sent relief supplies to the flood victims in Pakistan and three ships from Indonesia came to Karachi with relief supplies containing thousands of tons of food and medicine. These three ships had food, medicine and other necessary equipment. He said that apart from this, it has been decided to send medical teams from Indonesia to Pakistan.
The Ambassador said that we will also help Pakistan for rehabilitation in flood affected areas. He said that Indonesia will help the flood victims more in the future. He said that the people of Pakistan are hospitable and we can see the same glimpse of them in Nathiagali where immense natural beauty is found.
This natural beauty of Nathiagali should be enhanced so that more and more people come to Nathiagali and increase the economic activities here. He said that the natural beauty of Nathiali should be preserved so that it can become a good tourist destination for future generations.