Islamabad: Former President and current Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal called on President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad this evening. Welcoming her, the President said Pakistan and the Philippines share over seven decades of enduring friendship and cooperation across political, economic, and defence fields. The President reaffirmed Pakistan’s appreciation for the Philippines’ continued support for Pakistan’s engagement with ASEAN. He expressed solidarity with the people and government of the Philippines over the loss of lives and widespread damage caused by the recent earthquake. He said Pakistan stands with the Philippines in its recovery and commended Manila’s leadership in advancing regional climate resilience, including through the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund to be based in Manila.

According to Radio Pakistan, the President called for stronger economic engagement, including enhanced trade in food and pharmaceutical products and greater private-sector collaboration. He appreciated the Philippines’ decision to grant long-term residence permits to Pakistanis married to Filipino nationals and hoped for reciprocal facilitation for Pakistani visitors. Ms Macapagal reaffirmed her country’s resolve to deepen cooperation with Pakistan in trade, defence, and people-to-people exchanges. She expressed sympathies over the loss of lives in terrorist attacks in Pakistan. Recalling her father’s visit to Pakistan in 1959, when he served as President of the Philippines, she said that Pakistan and the Philippines have long shared bonds of mutual respect and friendship. She noted that being a vibrant part of the Global South and the fifth most populous nation in the world, Pakistan must take a leadership role for other countries to follow.

Meanwhile, former President of Guatemala Jimmy Morales and current Speaker of Guatemala’s Parliament, called on President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad today. Speaking on the occasion, the President said Pakistan values its relations with Guatemala and looks forward to stronger cooperation in trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges. He noted that both countries face common challenges in rural development, climate resilience, and economic modernization and identified sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and health sciences as areas for practical collaboration. President Zardari informed Mr. Morales about the Special Investment Facilitation Council, which provides a single-window platform for investors in key sectors including agriculture, IT, energy, mining, and defence production. He invited Guatemalan investment and joint ventures under the SIFC framework.

The President appreciated Guatemala’s support at the United Nations, including for Pakistan’s candidatures to the Human Rights Council and the UN Security Council and called for continued cooperation at multilateral fora. He also underscored the importance of strengthening parliamentary and institutional linkages through exchanges and dialogue on governance, saying geographical distance should not limit engagement between the two countries. Mr. Morales thanked Pakistan for hosting the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers Conference and for inviting him to participate. He said such interactions will pave the way for new opportunities for cooperation between the two countries. He added that Guatemala, the largest country in Central America, wishes to learn from Pakistan’s experience in various sectors and he is in Pakistan to open doors between Pakistan and Guatemala for business and trade.