Pakistan became an ASEAN sectoral dialogue partner in 1993. Yet for more than three decades, the grouping’s engagement with this nuclear-armed state has remained limited. The time has surely come to reconsider its status and elevate it to a full dialogue partner.
In recent weeks, perceptions of Pakistan have shifted, thanks to its role in helping ease tensions between the United States and Iran. Within Asean, Islamabad has emerged as a potential catalyst for wider engagement.
This is not about endorsing nuclear powers, but about working with like-minded partners. Pakistan has demonstrated an ability to engage all sides — a quality Asean prides itself on.
Last week, during a meeting with Pakistani ambassador Rukhsana Afzaal, Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow praised Pakistan’s role in facilitating a ceasefire and supporting ongoing peace efforts between Washington and Tehran.
ASEAN has long been cautious in dealing with nuclear powers. Since the 1995 Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ), also known as the Bangkok Treaty, the bloc has sought to keep the region free of nuclear weapons.
It has also tried to persuade the five recognised nuclear powers — the US, China, France, the UK and Russia — to accede to the treaty. In 2000, only China expressed interest, but ASEAN held back, wary of jeopardising broader consensus. Indonesia’s push in 2023 to bring all five on board ultimately proved ineffective.
The bloc should therefore adopt a more pragmatic approach, welcoming any nuclear power willing to sign on without preconditions.
As far back as 2010, then Thai foreign minister Kasit Piromya suggested that ASEAN engage both India and Pakistan — South Asia’s two nuclear powers — on acceding to SEANWFZ. The idea never took off, largely due to longstanding tensions between the two.
Today, with rising nuclear risks in the Middle East and Northeast Asia, ASEAN should revisit its approach to non-Western nuclear powers.
With a population of 259 million and a strategic location linking South Asia and the Middle East, Pakistan warrants greater attention. It has been a member of the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) since 2004 and remains a sectoral dialogue partner, focusing on cooperation in areas such as security dialogue, trade and counterterrorism.
Pakistan’s cordial ties with Iran — with which it shares a 909-kilometre border — give it a rare ability to engage across divides in a polarised region.
As Asean economies rely heavily on energy imports from the Gulf, any disruption, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, would quickly affect growth and human security.
During Asean’s recent engagements with the Gulf Cooperation Council, including summits in Riyadh in 2024 and Kuala Lumpur in 2025, priorities centred on energy, trade, investment and the welfare of Asean workers in the region.
For over three decades, Pakistan has sought full dialogue partner status. India, which joined Asean at the same time, has since advanced its ties to the level of a comprehensive strategic partner — a disparity that is increasingly difficult to justify.
Although Pakistan joined the ARF in 2004, its role has remained limited. During the Cold War, it was a member of the now-defunct Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO), which once underpinned regional security cooperation among Western allies.
Granting Pakistan full dialogue partner status would be a practical step. It would give Asean another channel to engage the Middle East and address broader security challenges.
At the same time, Pakistan must step up its outreach to Asean through more frequent high-level visits, deeper diplomatic engagement, and expanded cooperation in areas such as energy, the halal industry and connectivity.
In the political-security sphere, cooperation has focused on counterterrorism, transnational crime and maritime security. Pakistan should also make better use of the ARF, which, despite being criticised as a talking shop, still plays a role in building trust and promoting dialogue.
Bilateral Asean–Pakistan trade remains modest, at around UScopy1.5 billion (370 billion baht) in 2024, small compared with other partners, including India.
ASEAN imports from Pakistan mainly textiles, leather goods and seafood, while exporting machinery, electronics, automotive parts and palm oil.
Malaysia is Pakistan’s largest ASEAN trading partner, driven largely by palm oil and preferential arrangements. Indonesia is also significant, while trade with Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines is growing but still limited.
Pakistan’s evolving role, particularly in relation to Iran and the Gulf, offers Asean an opportunity to recalibrate its engagement. Recognising Pakistan as a full dialogue partner would also strengthen Asean centrality in navigating an increasingly unpredictable world.
Kavi Chongkittavorn is a veteran journalist on regional affairs.
Reference Link:- https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/3236555/rethink-aseanpakistan-relations