ISLAMABAD, MAY 19 /DNA/ – The China Pakistan Study Centre (CPSC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) organized an interactive virtual meeting with the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS), Malaysia.

The participants included Amb. Sohail Mahmood, Director General, ISSI; Prof. Dr. Maszlee bin Malik, Chairman, IAIS, Malaysia; Dr. Talat Shabbir, Director, China Pakistan Study Centre, ISSI; Dr. Ahmad Badri, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO), IAIS, Malaysia; and members of Team CPSC, ISSI.

During the meeting, the two sides apprised each other of their respective visions, mandates and scope of work and highlighted their outputs over the years as well as the extent of international collaboration. They also acknowledged the complementarity in their objectives and research interests – including building narratives, focusing on relevant global and regional issues, and reinforcing their countries’ foreign policy endeavours.

In his remarks during the Interactive Session, DG ISSI Amb. Sohail Mahmood highlighted the close brotherly relations between Pakistan and Malaysia, the convergence of views between the two countries on major issues, and their long-standing tradition of supporting causes dear to the Muslim Ummah. He also highlighted efforts in the realm of the countering Islamophobia and accentuating Pakistan’s pivot to geo-economics.

The IAIS Chairman, Prof. Dr. Maszlee bin Malik, also former Minister of Education of Malaysia, underscored the fraternal Malaysia-Pakistan relations, stressed the need for enhanced academic and think-tank exchanges, and the importance of developing a ‘road-map’ for IAIS-ISSI collaboration.

The meeting concluded with both sides expressing the commitment to forge an institutional relationship and undertake joint endeavours as part of the efforts to build closer people-to-people ties between the two countries.