bilateral relations

AN OVERVIEW OF PAKISTAN-PHILIPPINES RELATIONS

 

The Philippines established diplomatic relations with Pakistan on 08 September 1949 through the opening of a Philippine Consulate in Pakistan. This was followed by the opening of the Philippine Embassy in Karachi in 1956. In May 1957, Pakistan’s then Prime Minister Husseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy made an official visit to the Philippines. This was reciprocated by President Diosdado Macapagal in July 1962. During the administration of former President Corazon Aquino, Pakistani Prime Minister Mohammad Khan Junejo made an official visit to the Philippines in May 1988. In 1989, President Aquino, on two occasions, held bilateral talks with the late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto who was able to visit the Philippines in 1995 as a guest of former President Fidel Ramos. In 1997, the gesture was returned by President Fidel V. Ramos, only the second Philippine Head of State to visit Pakistan almost forty years after the first state visit of President Macapagal. State Visit of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to the Philippines took place on 18-20 April 2005.

During 2005 visit by Pakistan’s President, some agreements were signed namely; a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation to Combat Terrorism and Certain Other Crimes; Visa Waiver Agreement for Diplomatic Passport Holders; Cultural Exchange Programme for 2005-2009; and a Memorandum of Understanding between the Philippine Trading International Corporation (PITC) and the United Marketing on the Importation of Medicines from Pakistan. President Musharraf and President Arroyo agreed to cooperate against terrorism and to promote interfaith dialogue. On the 40th Anniversary of the Al-Fateh Revolution of Libya, in September 2009 President Arroyo met Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani held a meeting in Tripoli.

Consultative Mechanism

Dr. Arif Alvi

President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Mr. Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Shareef

Both countries have a Policy Consultations Talks mechanism- 4th round of which was held in Islamabad in early 2018 during the visit by Undersecretary Foreign Affairs Mr. Enrique Manalo to Islamabad. On 8 March 1997, an agreement was signed by both countries to create a forum for Policy Consultations at the level of senior officials. The Policy Consultation Meeting serves as a forum for the DFA and the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss bilateral, regional and multilateral issues, present the political and economic policies of both governments, coordinate joint efforts, explore new areas for cooperation, and facilitate the conclusion of bilateral agreements.

Economic Cooperation

The Philippines and Pakistan signed two (2) economic agreements, namely the Philippines-Pakistan Trade Agreement and the Philippines-Pakistan Agreement for the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investment, on 29 September 1961 and 23 April 1999 in Manila, respectively.

RP-Pakistan Joint Economic Commission (JEC)

During the 2nd RP-Pakistan Policy Consultations held last 01 April 2004, both sides agreed to rejuvenate the trade and investment relations between the Philippines and Pakistan through an RP-Pakistan Joint Economic Commission or JEC at the Ministerial. The first JEC also met for the first time in 2018.

Philippines-Pakistan Trade Relations

Bilateral Trade in 2020 totaled US$ 154 million out of which Pakistan’s share in exports to the Philippines stood at US$ 120 million. There was a decrease of 10% in trade volume compared to 2019 figures, mainly due to COVID-19. The highest trade balance a decade earlier stood at US$ 74 million in 2011 which has more than doubled in the past few years.

Top exports to Pakistan include garments, paper products, cosmetics, dairy products, processed fruits, coconut products, tobacco, electronic components and machineries, iron, steel, cement and chemicals. Top imports from Pakistan include housewares, Textiles, processed foods, dairy products, marine products, fresh foods, tobacco, textile yarns and twines, and industrial products.

Philippine-Pakistan Joint Business Council

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) of the Philippines specifically the Bureau of Export Trade Promotion initiated the establishment of the Joint Business Council of which an agreement has already been signed by the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Some Important Bilateral Agreements

  1. The Air Transport Services Agreement signed on 16 July 1949;
  2. Treaty of Friendship signed on 3 January 1951;
  3. Cultural Agreement signed on 15 August 1961;
  4. Trade Agreement signed on 29 September 1961;
  5. Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes and Income signed on 22 February 1980;
  6. Memorandum of Understanding between Department of Interior and Local Government of the Philippines and the Ministry of Interior of Pakistan signed on 15 December 1995;
  7. the Memorandum of Understanding between the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) in the Field of Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy signed on 08 March 1997;
  8. Memorandum of Understanding between the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC) and United Marketing on the Importation of Medicines from Pakistan.

Of late, MoU on Agriculture has been signed between the two countries in 2018. Likewise, MoU on Defence Cooperation is under active consideration between the two countries.

Associations of Pakistanis in the Philippines

i) The Philippine-Pakistan Business Council (PPBC)

The PPBC is a non-stock, non-profit association which envisions itself as one of the prime movers of growth on the Philippines and Pakistan trade relations. The Council intends to establish a strong channel of communications and strengthened network linkages with prospective business counterparts in Pakistan through the organization of events such as trade promotion conferences and seminars, exchange of business missions, participation in trade among others. Moreover, the Council aims to foster friendship and camaraderie among the business of the two countries. The PPBC was established towards the latter part of 2003. It was finally launched in September 2004.

ii) Pakistan and Philippines Friendship Association Inc.

This is an Association of Pakistani businessmen and entrepreneurs residing in the Philippines (mainly in Manila and Subic Bay) which has been registered with the host Government’s S&E Commission on 15 January 2021. It aims are evident from its title; to promote friendship, people-to-people contacts between the two countries as well as contribute in charitable causes as per the norms and laws of the host government and promotion of Pakistani culture and awareness.

iii) Pakistan Welfare Association:

This is yet another newly established Association of Pakistanis living in various parts of the entire Philippines. It is purely non-political and non-profit entity formed, for the purpose of assisting Pakistani diaspora in the Philippines in distress and assisting them in settling down well as also for help in legal matters so as to promote goodwill, people-to-people contacts, promotion of Pakistani culture and awareness about Pakistan. This Association has been registered on 2 February 2021. The Association also distributed rations during the last year’s COVID’s acute phase amongst deserving Pakistani and Filipino families.

Of late, PWA organised a welcome reception for the newly arrived Pakistan Ambassador in the Philippines His Excellency Dr. Imtiaz A. Kazi on 5 February 2021 which was attended, among others, by senior official from Law Enforcement Authorities/ Salam Centre of the Philippines. Pakistani community also expressed their solidarity on this occasion as 5th February marks Kashmir Solidarity Day for Pakistani and Kashmiris under illegal occupation in IIOJ&K.

Diaspora/the Expat Community in Pakistan and the Philippines

There are an estimated 2,000 plus Filipinos in Pakistan which includes few hundred permanent residents married to Pakistani nationals, around 1000 documented working visa holders (in IT, hotel industry, nurses, therapists, religious missionaries, those employed in textile mills and road construction projects, and workers from UN and other international organizations) and some irregular/undocumented residents. Likewise, there is a matching number of Pakistani diaspora well settled in the Philippines (many of them married to local Filipinos) promoting goodwill and trade between the two countries.

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