ACADEMIC DISCOURSE BY THE HIGH COMMISSIONER OF MALAYSIA AT INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
Islamabad : Ambassador Dato’ Mohammad Azhar Mazlan, High Commissioner of Malaysia to Pakistan, delivered an academic discourse session with students of the International Islamic University, (IIUI). He was received by Dr. Ahmed Saad Alahmed, President of IIUI. The event was attended by faculty members, staff, and approximately 120 students from the social sciences and international relations disciplines.
Ambassador Dato’ Azhar presented an overview of Malaysia’s historical development, bilateral relations with Pakistan, and key economic sectors, including palm oil, semiconductors, aerospace, and the halal industry. He underscored Malaysia’s role as the ASEAN Chair in 2025, stressing the country’s priorities in promoting regional stability, economic growth, and deeper ASEAN engagement with South Asia.
The High Commissioner also elaborated on Malaysia’s foreign policy priorities and highlighted the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Program (MTCP), which plays a pivotal role in capacity-building and development cooperation between Malaysia and Pakistan.
Education was a key focus of the session, with Ambassador Dato’ Azhar encouraging Pakistani students to explore higher education opportunities in Malaysia, which offers internationally recognised academic standards and a conducive learning environment. He noted that, as of 2024, nearly 5,000 Pakistani students are studying in Malaysian universities.
The event concluded with an interactive Question-and-Answer session, followed by the serving of Malaysian national dishes such as Nasi Lemak, Rendang Daging, and Mee Goreng Mamak.
This session forms part of the High Commission’s ongoing initiatives to strengthen bilateral ties through educational, cultural, and economic engagement, while fostering people-to-people linkages between Malaysia and Pakistan.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
