ISLAMABAD, 2 September 2026—The ASEAN Committee in Islamabad (ACI), under the Chairship of the Philippines, joined the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan in commemorating ASEAN Day through the seminar “Pakistan and ASEAN: Navigating Our Future, Together” held at ISSI on 2 September 2026.
The seminar brought together ASEAN Heads of Mission and diplomatic representatives, Pakistani government officials, academics and strategic affairs experts for discussions on strengthening ASEAN–Pakistan cooperation in political-security, economic and socio-cultural fields.
In his presentation, H.E. Dr. Emmanuel R. Fernandez, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines and Chair of the ACI, highlighted ASEAN’s evolution and the priorities of the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN Chairship under the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together.”
Ambassador Fernandez underscored the Chairship’s focus on peace and security, prosperity, and people empowerment, emphasizing the importance of dialogue, regional cooperation, economic integration and practical responses to shared challenges.
A video message from H.E. Dato’ Astanah Abdul Aziz, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Political-Security Community, highlighted the long-standing ASEAN–Pakistan partnership and opportunities for cooperation in regional peace and security, digital transformation, connectivity, trade and investment, education, youth and people-to-people exchanges.
Representatives of ASEAN Member States likewise shared their perspectives on how Pakistan and ASEAN could translate their longstanding relationship into practical cooperation, including in trade and investment, information technology, tourism, food security, education, cybersecurity, humanitarian assistance and cultural exchanges.
Representing Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Haseen Fatima, Deputy Director for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening relations with ASEAN and announced the replenishment of the ASEAN–Pakistan Cooperation Fund by USD 500,000.
The seminar also discussed Pakistan’s aspiration for deeper institutional engagement with ASEAN and the importance of expanding cooperation through existing ASEAN mechanisms.
Ambassador Fernandez stressed that greater engagement between ASEAN and Pakistan should ultimately translate into tangible benefits for their peoples, particularly through stronger economic, technological, educational and people-to-people linkages.
The event concluded with a reaffirmation of the shared interest of ASEAN and Pakistan in building a more substantive, forward-looking and mutually beneficial partnership. END
