Islamabad, September 8, 2026: The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) hosted an ASEAN Day celebration on Tuesday, bringing together ambassadors, diplomats and business leaders who called for a stronger, more structured and results-oriented economic partnership between Pakistan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The high-level gathering was attended by Philippine Ambassador and Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Islamabad Dr Emmanuel R. Fernandez, Brunei Darussalam High Commissioner Colonel (Retd) Pengiran Haji Kamal Bashah, Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan, Myanmar Ambassador Wunna Han, Thai Ambassador Rongvudhi Virabutr, Indonesian Ambassador Chandra Warsenanto Sukotjo and Malaysian Deputy Chief of Mission Mohamad Alif Syafiq bin Mohd Faudzi, along with senior ICCI office-bearers, members of the diplomatic corps and business leaders.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Fernandez thanked ICCI for hosting the celebration and said Pakistan-ASEAN relations were increasingly evolving beyond government-to-government ties into broader partnerships involving businesses, institutions, communities and people.
Referring to the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN chairmanship theme, “Navigating Our Future Together”, he said rapid economic and technological transformation, restructuring of global supply chains and climate challenges had made closer cooperation more important than ever.
He urged Pakistani and ASEAN chambers, companies and entrepreneurs to turn emerging opportunities into concrete commercial partnerships, noting that governments and embassies could open doors while business communities had to convert those opportunities into trade and investment.
In his welcome address, ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood described ASEAN as a powerful bridge connecting people, economies and nations.
He said ASEAN’s experience demonstrated that countries with diverse histories, cultures and levels of development could transform differences into cooperation and shared prosperity.
Mehmood stressed that the next phase of Pakistan-ASEAN relations should increasingly focus on trade, investment, technology, entrepreneurship and business-to-business partnerships.
Former ICCI president and Chairman of the Chamber’s Standing Committee on Diplomats Zafar Bakhtawari congratulated ASEAN countries and their diplomatic missions on the occasion and highlighted the bloc’s success in bringing diverse nations together under a common regional framework.
He described ASEAN as an important economic partner for Pakistan and said bilateral trade was currently around $10 billion but had considerable potential for further expansion.
Bakhtawari recalled Pakistan’s engagement with ASEAN through its sectoral partnership and participation in the ASEAN Regional Forum and called for Pakistan to be elevated to full dialogue partner status.
Brunei Darussalam High Commissioner Colonel (Retd) Pengiran Haji Kamal Bashah said ASEAN had demonstrated that countries of different sizes, cultures and circumstances could build a strong community through mutual respect and cooperation.
He said business engagement with one ASEAN member could provide access to opportunities across the wider regional market.
Appreciating ICCI’s business delegations and business-to-business initiatives, he called for the ASEAN-ICCI bridge to become more practical and effective.
He also disclosed that Brunei was conducting a feasibility study to bring its national airline to Pakistan, saying improved air connectivity could significantly facilitate trade, tourism and the movement of commodities between the two countries.
Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan said Vietnam was committed to working with Pakistan and viewed its strategic geographical location and large consumer market as important assets for expanding bilateral and regional economic cooperation.
He called for stronger trade and investment linkages, improved market access and greater private-sector engagement between Pakistan and ASEAN.
Indonesian Ambassador Chandra Warsenanto Sukotjo highlighted the longstanding friendship between Indonesia and Pakistan and described ASEAN as one of the world’s most dynamic economic regions.
He said Pakistan’s large market, strategic location and entrepreneurial private sector made it an important economic partner for ASEAN in South Asia.
The Indonesian envoy supported efforts to upgrade the existing Indonesia-Pakistan trade framework into a comprehensive economic partnership agreement and invited Pakistani businesses to participate in the 41st Trade Expo Indonesia 2026, scheduled for October 14-18. He said around 100 Pakistani businesses had already applied to participate.
The Thai ambassador highlighted the relatively low volume of Pakistan-ASEAN trade compared with the significant potential of the two sides. He called for tariff reforms, stronger trade facilitation and an improved business environment to attract greater ASEAN investment to Pakistan.
He said simpler procedures for company registration, licensing and investment would be critical to improving ease of doing business.
Myanmar Ambassador Wunna Han appreciated ICCI for organising the ASEAN Day celebration and maintaining consistent engagement with ASEAN missions, saying the ASEAN diplomatic community in Islamabad valued its strong relations with Pakistan’s business community.
Malaysian Deputy Chief of Mission Mohamad Alif Syafiq bin Mohd Faudzi said ASEAN, with a combined population of more than 680 million, offered vast opportunities for trade, investment and business partnerships.
He said Pakistan remained an important 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 enhanced cooperation.
Senior ICCI Vice President Tahir Ayub, who moderated the ceremony, stressed the importance of sustained engagement between the chamber and ASEAN diplomatic missions, while Chairman ICCI Standing Committee on ASEAN Chaudhry Mohammad Ali highlighted the need for stronger institutional and business linkages.
The ceremony also featured the cutting of an ASEAN Day cake and presentation of shields to participating ambassadors and heads of mission in recognition of their participation.
ICCI Vice President Mohammad Irfan Chaudhry delivered the vote of thanks, expressing appreciation to the ASEAN heads of mission, diplomats and business community for their participation.
The gathering underscored a shared desire to translate Pakistan-ASEAN diplomatic relations into stronger commercial engagement through increased business-to-business contacts, investment partnerships, improved connectivity and greater private-sector cooperation.
