Karachi Pakistan : It is a great honor and pride for the Indonesian people and Pencak Silat lovers worldwide to have Pencak Silat included as an Exhibition Game for the first time at the 35th National Games 2025. This momentum will be a step forward for the recognition and development of Pencak Silat, a traditional Indonesian martial art, throughout Pakistan. In this regard, the Indonesian Consulate General in Karachi expresses its highest appreciation to the Pakistan Sports Board, Pakistan Olympic Association, dan Sindh Olympic Association for their outstanding role in providing full support and infrastructure for the event.
The inaugural Exhibition Game is being held at the Junejo Exhibition Hall in New Krachi on December 7, 2025. The Indonesian Consul General will attend the event as a guest of honor at the invitation of the Pakistan Pencak Silat Federation.
In including Pencak Silat as an exhibition, the Pakistan Pencak Silat Federation can showcase the sport to a wider audience, attract new participants, increase its popularity, and establish a presence in various parts of Pakistan. It is primarily aimed at promoting and developing the sport domestically. Through this enthusiasm and significant efforts, it is believed that in the near future, Pencak Silat will become an established core discipline with a national competition structure that meets all the criteria for full medal-tallying event at the upcoming National Games with the goal of ultimately developing them to international competitive standards.
As is well known, Pencak Silat is a cultural heritage of the Indonesian nation. It played a central and crucial role as a means of physical struggle, national unification, and character building in the fight against colonialism in Indonesia. This martial art is not merely a fighting technique, but also encompasses mental, spiritual, and social aspects that are highly relevant in the context of the national movement.
Traditionally, Pencak Silat consistently demonstrates the values ??of friendship, respect, and strong social cohesion.
UNESCO designated Pencak Silat as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of Indonesia at its 14th Session in Bogota, Colombia in 2019. UNESCO recognized that Pencak Silat has become a unifying identity for the Indonesian nation. Its inclusion helps foster friendship among nations, cultural exchange and awareness of the martialart.
Pencak Silat is an umbrella term for a traditional martial art originating from Indonesia. It combines physical combat techniques like striking, grappling, and throwing with artistic and mental-spiritual aspects. Beyond self-defense, it is also a cultural practice and has evolved into a competitive sport.
In Indonesia, Pencak Silat has long continued to develop across all regions. There are over 150 recognized styles of Pencak Silat in Indonesia, and the actual number of systems is much higher. According to records from the Indonesian Pencak Silat Association, there were approximately 840 Pencak Silat schools. This number has likely increased since then.
Thanks to international friendship, Pencak Silat is currently developing in more than 78 countries worldwide including Pakistan, with approximately 5 million athletes.
Pencak Silat was first competed in Indonesia at the 8th National Sports Week (PON) in 1973. Internationally, Pencak Silat was first competed in Southeast Asia at the 14th South-East Asia Games in Jakarta in 1987 and the 18th Asian Games in 2018.
Recent events also highlight the sport’s growing popularity and international recognition, such as its performance at the 20th World Pencak Silat Championship and a cultural performance at the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly 2025 in Kuwait City. It has also been confirmed as a medal event for the 2025 Asian Youth Games in Bahrain.
The Indonesian Pencak Silat Association together with the Indonesian Consulate General in Karachi will continue to collaborate with the Pakistan Pencak Silat Federation to further introduce and develop this martial art in Pakistanalong with increasing friendship between the two friendly nations.
