ANTARA and Pakistan Embassy Agree to Collaborate Against Islamophobia
Jakarta (ANTARA) - ANTARA News Agency and the Embassy of Pakistan in Jakarta have agreed to collaborate on news exchange to balance global information, particularly in combating Islamofobia.
“There is one government public sector news agency that is also affiliated with Pakistan’s APP. We will see with whom we can find the right partnership with you,” said Pakistan’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, during a visit to the ANTARA Heritage Center in Jakarta on Thursday.
According to Ambassador Chaudhri, Pakistan is a country that is very vocal in opposing Islamofobia and emphasises that dialogue is crucial in reducing Islamofobia and addressing it directly.
“We would be very pleased to work with you. So, we will share content with you. We will also see if we can hold some editorial meetings,” said Ambassador Chaudhri.
On the same occasion, LKBN ANTARA’s President Director, Benny Siga Butarbutar, stated that his side wants to share insights on handling Islamofobia, highlighting that many people are unaware of the true stories and history of Islam.
“They just say that Islam is not good. I think we must counter that image. So we share news information, exchange news on how we can handle Islamofobia,” said Benny.
Regarding terrorism, Ambassador Chaudhri conveyed that Pakistan is the most effective country in handling terrorism issues by combating terrorism itself.
“We have decided that we will strike terrorist elements wherever they are,” said the Pakistani Ambassador, highlighting that Pakistan made the decision based on national consensus that Pakistan needs to do everything in combating terrorism.
Nevertheless, Ambassador Chaudhri emphasised that Pakistan remains supportive of any initiatives that promote peace in the region and in the international community, where Pakistan’s foreign policy is based on friendly relations with all countries.
“At the same time, while we strive for peace, we also believe that national sovereignty is very important, national security is very important. So, while striving for peace, we are also ready to defend ourselves against any aggression,” said Ambassador Chaudhri.
Indonesia and Pakistan are countries that uphold moderation and peace both regionally and internationally and work closely bilaterally and multilaterally through international organisations, according to Ambassador Chaudhri.
He assessed that Indonesia and Pakistan are expanding their cooperative relations, such as in the health, defence, economy, education, people-to-people relations, culture, tourism, and other sectors.
“I must say that we are witnessing, under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto and the leadership of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a complete transformation of the already very good relations between the two countries,” said the Pakistani Ambassador.