By Zahid Karani
KARACHI: Indonesia encouraged its business community to explore Pakistan’s largely untapped markets as a means of fostering balanced and sustainable trade relations, the Indonesian Consul General in Karachi, Mudzakir, M.A, said on Sunday. He made the remarks while addressing the “Networking Dinner for the Indonesia Business Delegation for the International Consumer Products Fair (ICPF) 2025,” hosted by the Indonesian Consulate at a local hotel.
The dinner formed part of a broader series of trade-promotion activities linked to the strong presence of the Indonesian Pavilion at the 7th ICPF 2025. The pavilion showcased Indonesian products and provided a platform for direct business engagement between companies from both countries.
Speaking to the gathering, the consul general highlighted the pavilion’s role in strengthening connections and relations with Pakistan, stressing that promoting the country’s economic potential remained a key priority of his mission. “You may believe me or not, but I have two major duties while serving as Consul General. The first is to raise awareness about the potential of Pakistan,” he said.
The second, he added, was to encourage Indonesian delegations not only to sell their products in Pakistan but also to buy from Pakistani businesses. He stressed that negative perceptions about Pakistan were inaccurate and needed to change, describing it as an essential part of his diplomatic responsibility.
“The perception is not true; it should be changed. This is part of my duty to raise awareness about the potential of Pakistan,” he said. Highlighting the importance of balanced trade, he noted that although trade had traditionally favoured Indonesia, he hoped to see more sustainable, two-way commerce in the future.
He further noted that the Indonesian Pavilion reflected Indonesia’s commitment to fair, inclusive and sustainable trade, providing opportunities for dialogue, business matching and market exploration between entrepreneurs from both countries. The networking dinner allowed many of the interactions initiated at the pavilion to continue in a more informal and focused setting, strengthening potential trade and investment links.
The consul general also expressed his appreciation to Uzair Nizam, Director of the E-Commerce Gateway, for facilitating both the Indonesian pavilion and the business delegation. The event was attended by Indonesian and Pakistani businessmen, offering a space for direct engagement and the exploration of long-term business partnerships.
