ISLAMABAD – Indonesian President Joko Widodo has called for a firmcommitment to democracy as it is the only way to serve interests of thepeople.
He was addressing the joint session of the Parliament in Islamabad onFriday.
Indonesian President said democracy provides space for people indecision-making process, helps maintain political stability and achievegrowth.
Joko Widodo said economy of a country or a region can grow if there ispolitical stability and security. He said economic activities will nevertake place if there is conflict or war. He said conflicts and wars benefitno one and people mainly women and children become most impacted in suchsituations.
Referring to the challenges of terrorism, he said no country of the worldis immune to it. He said incidents of terrorism are taking place in almostall countries including Indonesia and Pakistan. He said Muslims are inlargest number the victim of terrorism.
He pointed out that 76 percent of terrorist attacks took place in Muslimcountries, 60 percent of armed conflicts happened in Muslim countries and67 percent refugees come from Muslim countries.
The Indonesian President said weapons and military power will never resolveconflicts in the world and arms race would continue to create tension. Heemphasized the need to resolve conflict through dialogue.
Referring to bilateral relations, he said Pakistan and Indonesia arefriends and have many things in common. They are two countries with largestMuslim population, are members of OIC and D-8 and initiators of Asia-AfricaConference and most importantly they are democratic countries.
He said Indonesia will always remember the support of the people ofPakistan towards its struggles for independence. He said coinciding withthe 50th Anniversary of its Independence, Indonesia conferred First ClassAdipurna Star to Pakistan’s Father of the Nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah forhis contributions in supporting Indonesia’s independence.
Radio Pakistan’s parliamentary correspondent says the speech of theIndonesian President was punctuated with thumping of desks byparliamentarians. A thunderous applaus was given when he said Parliament ofPakistan Zindabad.
Visitors in the galleries of the parliament included Governors and ChiefMinisters of the provinces, services chiefs, political leaders, members ofthe diplomatic corps and senior civil and military officials.
Earlier, welcoming Indonesian President Joko Widodo in the joint sessionof Parliament, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said Pakistanand Indonesia cherish deep bonds of history, religion and culture.
He said an everlasting peace in South Asia requires a just and peacefulsolution of this unresolved issue in accordance with the aspirations of theKashmiri people and in light of the United Nations Security CouncilResolutions.
The Speaker said Pakistan hopes that friends like Indonesia will continuehelping Pakistan in this regard.
The Speaker said as members of the United Nations, the OIC, theInter-Parliamentary Union, the Parliamentary Union of OIC Member States andother international and regional forums, we have been supporting each otheron all issues of common concern and interest.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said the recent years have seen enhanced people-to-peoplecontacts between our two countries, which have opened new avenues ofcooperation in higher education, cultural exchanges, bilateral trade andinvestment opportunities on both sides.
He said Pakistan has paid the heaviest price by rendering over sixty-fivethousand lives and bearing a loss of over 120 billion dollars to itseconomy.