Zubair Qureshi
Ambassador of Indonesia Adam M Tugio on Thursday expressed condolences on behalf of his country and countrymen with the government and the people of Pakistan on the loss of lives and catastrophic damage to properties and infrastructure caused by the recent floods.
My government and the people stand by our Pakistani brothers and sisters in their moment of crisis, the ambassador said.
He was addressing a fund-raising ceremony that simultaneously showcased the rich Indonesian culinary delights, a demo done by the world-renowned Chef Budiono, a professional Chef from Courtyard Nusa Dua, Bali.
A plane load of relief goods from the Indonesia government is on its way, said the ambassador while the embassy’s staff and the Indonesian diaspora raised Rs1.2 million for the Pakistanis affected by the floods. Moreover, food packets and relief goods were also packed and handed over to the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) on the occasion.
Chairman of the PRCS Sardar Shahid Ahmed Laghari, Director of the Waheed Group, Faad Waheed, Acting High Commissioner of Malaysia Deddy Faisal, High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam Abdul Mubdi Osman, Ambassador of Vietnam Nguyen Tien Phong , Sardar Waqar a philanthropist from Swat, wives of the diplomats, newly elected office-bearers of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industries (ICCI), business community representatives and a large number of the Pakistani and the Indonesian fans of the Indonesian recipes had turned up to learn as well as enjoy the recipes whose very names filled one’s mouth with water—Sate Ayam Maranggi (Chicken Satay Maranggi), Soto Daging Betawi (Beef Soup Ala Betawi), Sate Lilit (Bali’s recipe), traditional Indonesian desserts, Indonesian sweets and pastries, etc.
While introducing the Indonesian recipes and the country’s rich spice industry, the ambassador said there were many similarities between the spices and ingredients of Indonesian and Pakistani food. The two countries are located at a long distance yet it is the spices and the recipes that act as common thread (besides their religion and culture). This (spices) is our common bond and Indonesia is the second biggest exporter of spices in the ASEAN countries after Vietnam, he said. In tropical countries like Indonesia spices are grown in plenty and thus their demand worldwide is surging.
Director of Waheed Group Faad Waheed said it was a privilege to be in trade partnership with the Indonesian business community. It is always easy, rather ideal to trade with the Indonesians, he said and invited the Pakistani business community to come forward and make full use of trade opportunities offered by the Indonesian government. It may be mentioned here that in 2019, Waheed Group has been conferred with Indonesia’s award “Primaduta” by the Vice President of Indonesia for being the best palm oil importer from Indonesia.
