ISLAMABAD           -         Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said yesterday that Pakistan supports joint regional efforts for progress. The Foreign Minister met the Singaporean President Halimah Yacob during his official visit to Singapore and discussed enhanced engagement and mutually beneficial cooperation. Bilawal, who arrived in Singapore on December 8 on an official visit, shared Pakistan desire to intensify cooperation with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also held a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and reviewed the state of bilateral relations. The two sides agreed to enhance bilateral engagements and cooperation.The foreign minister visited the headquarters of multinational technology conglomerate Meta (Facebook) Asia-Pacific in Singapore, where he launched the ‘Stars Programme’ for monetization in Pakistan. This will contribute to the capacity building of young entrepreneurs as a valuable tool for Pakistan’s growing number of Meta content developers. He highlighted the achievements and huge potential of the information technology sector in Pakistan and expressed keen desire for enhanced cooperation between Meta and Pakistan. Earlier, at the invitation of the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, the Foreign Minister undertook an official visit to Bali, Indonesia on 7-8 December 2022. The Foreign Minister held a meeting with his counterpart from Indonesia Retno Marsudi. The two Foreign Ministers reviewed the state of bilateral relations and agreed to further strengthen dialogue at all levels and pursue mutually beneficial cooperation. They also signed a landmark MoU on the establishment of a Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) at the Foreign Minister level. JMC will oversee mutually beneficial cooperation and promote regular bilateral engagement. In Bali, the Foreign Minister also held a meeting with the Foreign Minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina Dr. Bisera Turkovic and expressed Pakistan’s desire to further strengthen bilateral engagement between the two brotherly countries. During his visit, the Foreign Minister participated in the 15th Bali Democracy Forum and International Conference on Afghan Women Education. At the Bali Democracy Forum, the Foreign Minister said that democracy is the foundation of an emancipated society and people of Pakistan always strived for a people-centric democracy. He called for reform of international financial institutions and underscored the importance of democracies in developing countries to collaborate in responding to common challenges. At the International Conference on Afghan Women Education, the Foreign Minister spoke on the importance of education for women and their participation in decision-making. He underlined the need for concrete and practical assistance programmes benefiting all sections of the society. Foreign Minister also reiterated Pakistan’s strong support for the well-being and prosperity of the people of Afghanistan.