Pakistan and Thailand share a history, which dates back almost 2,000 years and both countries enjoy bilateral friendly relations.
Senator Salim Saifullah, the chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, stated this here at a seminar on Tuesday.
The seminar was organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) in collaboration with the Royal Thai embassy in Islamabad to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Pakistan – Thailand diplomatic relations. Salim Saifullah, while delivering his keynote address, expressed his pride in the “Look East” policy of Pakistan, citing cultural ties with nations in that region and with Thailand in specific. The senator stated, “Pakistan’s well being is in the interest of Thailand and Thailand’s well being is in the interest of Pakistan”. He went on to elaborate the geo-strategic importance of both countries with Thailand, at the crossroads of the Southeast Asia and Pakistan at the crossroads of South Asia and the Middle East.
The Thai ambassador to Pakistan, Marut Jitpatima, said he was thankful to the ISSI and the Foreign Office of Pakistan for holding the event and for the fruitful relations since 1951. He expressed his deep interest in academic debate and hoped that today’s seminar would provoke thoughts on the diplomatic milestone achieved and the countless “experiences shared” between the two countries.
The ambassador stressed the importance of developing these ties further and the need to learn from one another. Earlier, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, the director general of the ISSI, elaborated the special relationship with both countries. He highlighted the fact that despite the large geographical separation, the two countries were economically and politically aligned and had enjoyed great ties throughout the past six decades.
Speaking on the occasion, Lt Gen Kamal Matinudin (retd) recalled Pakistan-Thailand historic political and diplomatic ties and identified vast areas of cooperation between the two states within ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP).
