Pakistan’s Foreign Office confirmed on Friday that no meeting is planned between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their visits to China. FO Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan made the statement during his weekly press briefing in Islamabad. He denied all media speculation about a possible interaction between the two leaders.
He highlighted that Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar attended a trilateral meeting in Kabul with his Chinese and Afghan counterparts. The talks focused on political, security, and economic cooperation. All three sides agreed on joint efforts for regional peace and stability. They also discussed expanding CPEC into Afghanistan.
The spokesperson said security threats and cross-border terrorism were key topics in the Kabul meeting. He added that China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi had completed a successful two-day visit to Pakistan. During the visit, Wang met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy PM Ishaq Dar, and Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Shafqat Ali Khan noted that Pakistan thanked China for its continuous support, especially on regional and security issues. He said the sixth round of the Pakistan-China Strategic Dialogue was also held in Islamabad. Both countries agreed to boost cooperation under CPEC Phase II and enhance trade, investment, and energy ties.
In conclusion, the Foreign Office reiterated that Pakistan and China continue to strengthen their strategic partnership. The spokesperson also made it clear that peace in Afghanistan remains a shared priority. However, he firmly denied any plans for Shehbaz Sharif and Narendra Modi to meet during their time in China.