President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday conferred Pakistan’s highest civil award, the Nishan-e-Pakistan, on Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo during a special investiture at Aiwan-e-Sadr.

The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif; Chairman Senate, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani; Speaker National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq; members of the federal cabinet; Governor Sindh, Kamran Tessori; Governor Gilgit-Baltistan, Syed Mehdi Shah; Prime Minister of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore; Chief of Defence Forces, Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir; Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu; Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf; parliamentarians and members of the diplomatic corps.

Earlier, President Zardari and President Subianto held a bilateral meeting highlighting the historic ties and shared values between Pakistan and Indonesia, rooted in the legacies of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and President Sukarno.

Both leaders expressed a commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity.

President Zardari offered condolences over recent floods and landslides in Sumatra, praying for the victims and wishing a swift recovery for the injured.

They discussed promoting interfaith harmony, tolerance, and inclusive development, agreeing these principles will guide future cooperation. Economic engagement was also reviewed, with both sides noting a steady rise in bilateral trade.

President Zardari stressed the need for balanced market access and export diversification, while both welcomed the Joint Trade Committee to address trade issues and strengthen business links.

Discussions also focused on expanding economic cooperation in IT, renewable energy, agriculture, halal products, tourism, and infrastructure.

Both countries committed to joint efforts on climate resilience, disaster management, and sustainable development.

Defence cooperation was reaffirmed, including training and joint production initiatives.

Both leaders also agreed on close coordination in multilateral forums, countering Islamophobia, and supporting Muslim unity.

Regional and international developments, including the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), were also discussed.

The extended meeting was attended by senior members of both sides.

From Indonesia: Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Foreign Minister Sugiono, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, and top military officials.

From Pakistan: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, and senior parliamentarians.

The leaders held a brief tête-à-tête to review the bilateral relationship, followed by a state banquet in honour of the visiting president.