In exclusive interview, Pakistan's ambassador to Cairo talks relations with Egypt, Cairo's role in halting the Gaza war, and situation with India
Pakistan views Egypt as a country of great importance in the Middle East and the Islamic world.
He also warned that the conflict in Kashmir will remain as a source of tension between India and Pakistan.
Interview
How do you view relations between Egypt and Pakistan, politically and economically?
Relations between Pakistan and Egypt are feature common bonds of faith, cultural affinities and similar views towards regional and international issues. Egypt was among the first countries to recognize Pakistan and the two countries exchanged resident Ambassadors in 1948.
Pakistan views Egypt as a significantly important country in the Middle East as well as in the Islamic world; Pakistan and Egypt are also both members of OIC, and D-8.
In relatively recent history, Pakistan's national poet Allama Mohammad Iqbal visited Egypt (Alexandria and Cairo) in 1931. During his visit, he met the Egyptian intelligentsia, religious and political leaders as well as student leaders.
Later in 1946, the founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the First Prime Minister of Pakistan visited Egypt and met with Egyptian political leaders and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar.
In subsequent years, Presidents from Egypt and Pakistan, Prime Ministers from Pakistan and Ministers from both countries paid several visits.
It is encouraging that the leadership of our two countries met during the recent years and reaffirmed their mutual desire to transform the existing bilateral relationship into a strong partnership to benefit of peoples of our two brotherly countries. We are eagerly waiting for the visit of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to Pakistan.
Egypt is a gateway to Africa. Pakistan is gateway to Central Asia.
There is immense scope, potential and mutual desire of the leadership of these two countries to capitalize this potential and geo-strategic location to significantly enhance the existing volume of bilateral trade for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries.
What is the volume of trade between the two countries, and what are the ways to increase it?
Bilateral trade, which usually hovered around US$200-300 million, jumped to around $605 million in 2022 following a spike in imports of mineral fuels from Egypt, before it declined due to global economic conditions.
There are a number of areas in which both countries can enhance their cooperation, such as science and technology, information technology, tourism and housing.
In September 2023, the Pakistan-Egypt Business Opportunities Conference was organized by the Embassy in collaboration with Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce.
Almost 150 delegates from Pakistan participated in the Conference. Pakistan also organized the Fourth Pakistan-Africa Trade Development Conference and Single Country Exhibition in Egypt at Cairo in January 2024.
The existing bilateral consultation system between Pakistan and Egypt consists of a Joint Ministerial Committee that covers a range of diverse avenues of cooperation including bilateral trade.
Recently, frequent interactions between DPM/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar & Foreign Minister of Egypt Badr Abdelatty have further strengthened the mutual desire to consolidate the existing mechanism of cooperation particularly enhancement in bilateral trade between Pakistan and Egypt.
There is immense potential for investments in textile sector, sports goods, real estate, tourism and hospitality sector, mining sector waiting to be capitalized by both the countries.
Since the past two years, the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has offered one window swift facilitation for foreign investors in Pakistan.
Additionally, the simplification of VISA regime for 126 countries, including Egypt, offers Pakistan as an ideal avenue for investment. Apart from these incentives there is huge potential for investment in agriculture, clean energy sectors of Pakistan.
Information Technology and software development sectors have witnessed phenomenal increase in return on investments for prospective investors.
With approximately 700,000 IT workforce members and 60 percent of the population being young, Pakistan is poised to produce more engineers and developers in the IT sector.
In your opinion, what is Pakistan's view of Egypt's role in stopping the war on Gaza, and is the idea of normalization with Israel impossible?
Regarding Gaza, Egypt and Pakistan have pushed for ceasefire right from the beginning.
Both countries share an identical stance on the Gaza and Palestine issue at numerous regional and multilateral forums. Pakistan is closely supporting provision of humanitarian assistance for the residents of Gaza in active collaboration and cooperation with Egypt.
On a solution for the Gaza catastrophe, Pakistan is fully aligned with Egypt.
We highly value Egypt's pivotal role in containing Israel's aggression and continuously engaging all the stake-holders to find a permanent and lasting solution to the conflict.
Is the situation with India currently calm, and what is the solution to end the tension?
Pakistan adheres to the ceasefire with India agreed after the intervention of President Trump.
We welcome President Trump's statements regarding the threat posed by unprovoked recent Indian aggression against Pakistan, and his intent to mediate on Kashmir dispute.
Pakistan has historically maintained its legitimate and decades old principled stance that Kashmir dispute should be resolved by fully implementing the relevant UNSC resolutions and in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of people of Kashmir.
Kashmir issue is an unfinished agenda of the partition of the sub-continent and UNSC.
This dispute will remain one of the central issues behind tension between Pakistan and India. The other issue is the Indus Water Treaty which can trigger escalation between two nuclear states at any time.
How did Pakistan defeat India in its last war?
Pakistan believes in peaceful neighborhood, regional peace and development, and prosperity for the residents of more than a billion people in South Asia.
We respect sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of all other states, and do not harbor nefarious designs against any regional state. However, we maintain minimum credible deterrence for preserving strategic balance in South Asia.
The unprovoked Indian aggression, despite Pakistan's consistent offer to investigate the Pahalgam terror attack, enlisting international state(s) supported by credible evidence was outright rejected by India.
Still, Pakistan responded in a measured, mature and firm manner without targeting civilian installations.
Our Air warriors did not leave Indian birds, who launched missiles targeting innocent civilians, to see light of the next day. Through indigenous technology harmoniously employed throughout the conflict, Pakistan proved its superiority in the face of naked Indian aggression.
Above all, the resolve of the entire nation reinvigorated the spirit of Pakistan Armed Forces towards a decisive victory.
How do you view the Iran-Israel war?
Pakistan is non-permanent member of United Nations Security Council. Our permanent representative in the UN requested urgent meeting at UNSC at the outset of Iran-Israel war. We have clearly and unequivocally termed the Israeli attack on nuclear facilities in Iran as illegitimate. These facilities are under the safeguards of UN.
Therefore, Israel's aggression is highly condemnable and dangerous for regional stability.
Pakistan is in favor of dialogue and diplomacy.
We've seen Pakistan announce its support for Iran. What form will this support take, and will it arm Tehran?
Pakistan supports Iran diplomatically, politically and as a brotherly neighboring country. Our DPM/Foreign Minister had categorically rejected fake news and misinformation manufactured regarding Pakistan's arms support to Iran.
Why did Pakistan close its border with Iran amid the escalation with Israel?
We did not close our borders with Iran. However, we established the monitoring mechanism on our border crossings with Iran in view of presence of Pakistan's Zaireen and students who were stranded in Iran after the Israeli aggression.
What message you would like to give on the Independence Day of Pakistan this year?
This year, Independence Day is being observed with a unique, illustrious stature as witnessed by the entire global community where Pakistan beams brilliantly after inflicting a well resonated, firm response to the aggression during the glorious Operation 'Bunyan Al-Marsoos'.
We bow our heads in respect and express infinite gratitude to Almighty Allah for enabling us to defend our motherland, and defying hardly the ill-fated attempt of establishing a new normal in South Asia, in a manner never witnessed in our history.
I express my profound admiration for small but dynamic Pakistan community in Egypt for their good work towards consolidating existing bond of friendship between the two brotherly countries.
While we commemorate this significantly special Independence Day, we should not forget our brothers and sisters in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and Palestine. They are subjected to oppression and worst kind of human rights abuses.
Still, they are upholding the spirit of freedom alive. Peace in South Asia and the Middle East will remain elusive till the resolution of these two decades old promised issues by the United Nations relevant resolutions, and in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of Kashmiris and Palestinians.
We remain steadfast in raising our voice for Palestinians and for the Kashmiris' right to self-determination.
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