PM urges Indonesia’s president to consider Zulfiqar’s matter on humanitarian grounds

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Saturday urged Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo to consider the matter of terminally ill Zulfiqar Ali on humanitarian grounds and allow him to return to his home country, a Foreign Office (FO) press release stated.

Zulfiqar who is on death row in Indonesia has been diagnosed with stage 4 terminal cancer.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi welcomed the esteemed dignitary on his arrival at the PM House in Islamabad.

National anthems of both the countries were played on the occasion. Smartly-turned-out contingents of armed forces presented guard of honour to the president.

During their meeting, PM Abbasi and President Widodo discussed matters pertaining to regional security, bilateral trade and agreed to extend support to each other at regional forums like Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and the ASEAN Regional Forum.

Talking about regional security, the two leaders agreed that an “Afghan-led and Afghan-owned” is vital for peace in the area. The PM also appreciated Indonesia’s “desire to assist Afghanistan in [gaining] peace” and briefed him about Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts to achieve peace in the area.

Abbasi and Widodo talked about increasing bilateral trade, saying that though imports and exports between the two countries had crossed the $2 billion mark in the past three years, there was “considerable untapped potential” that can be unlocked by taking advantage of preferential trade agreements.

Widodo also welcomed the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project and other “mega infrastructural projects” that would “offer vast opportunities” and “enhance regional connectivity”.

Earlier on Friday, President Mamnoon Hussain also took up with his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo the issue of Zulfiqar Ali.

During a meeting with the Indonesian president at Aiwan-e-Sadr, Mamnoon asked the dignitary to consider the matter on humanitarian grounds, said a press release issued by the Presidency.

In response, the Indonesian president said though it was a legal matter, yet they would look into it on humanitarian grounds, respecting his desire.

According to the Justice Project Pakistan (JPP), Zulfiqar Ali, the father of five, was diagnosed with stage 4 liver cancer and has been given three months to live.

His attending physician confirmed last month that Zulfiqar had been suffering from liver cancer in both lobes of the liver. He is also suffering from chronic liver cirrhosis and Diabetes Mellitus. After being detained for nearly 14 years for a wrongful conviction, Zulfiqar may die in prison while waiting to be executed.

President of Indonesia Joko Widodo also addressed the joint-sitting of parliament soon after his arrival on Friday and had said that conflicts and wars would benefit no one as people become its major victims and called for unity to maintain peace and stability in the region.

“Conflicts and wars will benefit no one. I repeat: conflicts and wars will benefit no one. The people, mainly women and children always become the most impacted ones in conflicts and wars,” Widodo had said.

The session was chaired by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and attended by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani, three services chiefs, besides the parliamentarians.

Widodo is the second president of Indonesia to address the joint sitting as first Indonesian President Dr Ahmed Soekarno had addressed the National Assembly of Pakistan on June 26, 1963.

President Widodo is the 17th foreign dignitary to address the National Assembly and Senate’s joint-sitting. The others who addressed the sitting included leaders from Iran, Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Palestine, France, China, Britain, Turkey.