PUTRAJAYA: Pakistan and Malaysia on Monday pledged to deepen bilateral cooperation across trade, education, Halal certification, and anti-corruption efforts, with Malaysia announcing a $200 million quota for Halal meat imports from Pakistan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim, after “very productive” delegation-level talks, told a joint press briefing that discussions covered bilateral cooperation as well as international issues, including Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Prime Minister Shehbaz said Pakistan sought to learn from Malaysia’s expertise and pursue joint ventures and mutually beneficial projects in areas such as agriculture, information technology, and vocational and skills training, where Pakistan is performing “wonderfully well.”
Referring to the large number of students studying in each other’s countries, he called for leveraging this potential to strengthen both economies through win-win cooperation.
“You announced a quota of $200 million for meat exports from Pakistan to Malaysia. Let me assure our Malaysian importers and officials that this quota will be regulated by market price mechanisms and fully comply with all Halal certification requirements set by Malaysian customs and food authorities. We will make every possible effort to meet these conditions, ensuring not only that we achieve this $200 million quota but also surpass it,” the prime minister said.
Expressing gratitude for the “exceptionally warm” welcome, Shehbaz added that he would leave Malaysia – which he called his second home – on Tuesday, inspired by Malaysia’s development journey, which Pakistan, with its 240 million population, aims to emulate. He said Pakistan would build a strong partnership with Malaysia to achieve shared goals, including in minerals, water, human capital, agriculture, and overall development.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim highlighted the long-standing ties between the two countries in education, defense, and other sectors, noting the continuous expansion of economic cooperation.
“In this era of geopolitical uncertainties, both sides see immense potential to deepen collaboration in defense, agriculture, digital technologies, energy, and emerging fields,” he said. Anwar also emphasized that Malaysia would facilitate Pakistan’s meat exports and take all necessary steps to achieve these objectives.
He further acknowledged the contributions of Pakistani professionals, skilled workers, and students who have long been part of Malaysia’s development landscape.
