Daily Times

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday, while underlining the significance of China in Pakistan’s foreign policy, reaffirmed the government’s resolve to further deepen the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.

He also affirmed the government’s firm resolve to fast-track both the ongoing as well as new projects under the transformational China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which had immensely contributed to the socio-economic development of Pakistan, and also realize its high quality development. The prime minister was talking to a Chinese delegation led by Cheng Guoping, China’s External Security Commissioner, which called on him here. He expressed his commitment to working with renewed zeal and enthusiasm, in concert with China, especially on the projects of strategic significance for both the countries, such as ML-1 project, a press release issued here by the PM Media Wing said.

The prime minister said China-Pakistan relations were based on mutual trust, mutual respect and cooperation. He appreciated that Pakistan and China had always stood by each other to overcome every challenge with solidarity and mutual support. The prime minister reiterated his strong condemnation of the Karachi terrorist attack and stated that the entire Pakistani nation grieved with the families of the victims and the people of China at the loss of precious lives, and offered his heartfelt condolences. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to thoroughly investigate the Karachi attack, apprehend the perpetrators at the earliest, and bring them to justice.

Referring to his telephonic conversation with Premier Li Kequiang on April 16, 2022, the prime minister affirmed that Pakistan was committed to providing the highest level of safety and security to all Chinese nationals and institutions working on projects in Pakistan. Cheng Guoping appreciated the measures taken by the Government of Pakistan, under the guidance and direct supervision of the prime minister, to carry out thorough investigations of the terrorist attacks and enhance measures for safety and security.

He underscored that terrorism was a common enemy of both Pakistan and China, and the two sides shared firm resolve to eradicate the menace. Cheng Guoping said Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership was a model of inter-state relations and a pillar of stability at a time when the international situation was in flux.

Separately, a delegation of lawyers’ leaders called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif here on Thursday. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar and Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf were also present in the meeting. The delegation of lawyers’ leaders comprised President Supreme Court Bar Association Ahsan Bhoon, Chairman Pakistan Bar Council Hafeez-ur-Rehman, President Lahore High Court Bar Association Akbar Dogar, Chairman Punjab Bar Council Jaffar Tayyar, Chairman Islamabad Bar Council Qamar Sabzwari, Syed Qalb-e-Hassan, Amjad Shah, Masood Chishti, Abid Saqi and others.