F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Monday made a telephonic contact with the Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Li Keqiang and assured him to take all necessary steps to protect Chinese citizens.
According to reports, PM Shehbaz Sharif and Premier Li Keqiang viewed the Pak-China partnership as vital for peace and stability amidst evolving regional and global situations.
Both the leaders agreed to enhance the momentum of exchanges to take bilateral cooperation to even higher levels. They held a comprehensive telephonic conversation which was marked by traditional warmth and cordiality, which is the hallmark of the Pak-China relationship
According to the PM Office Media Wing’s press release, Shehbaz Sharif offered his condolences to the government and people of China and expressed sympathies with the families of victims of the heinous terrorist attack that took place at the Karachi University on 26 April 2022, in which three Chinese scholars lost their lives.
He strongly condemned the terrorist attack and reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm resolve to hold a thorough investigation, apprehend the perpetrators of this criminal act and bring them to justice in accordance with our laws.
Shehbaz Sharif reiterated that Pakistan attached the highest importance to the safety, security and protection of all Chinese nationals working in Pakistan on economic projects and institutions.
PM Shehbaz assured premier Li that his government was determined to take all necessary measures for their enhanced security and safety in Pakistan.
Emphasizing people-to-people contacts, Shehbaz Sharif conveyed sentiments of the families of the Pakistani students who were desirous of returning to China for the resumption of their studies.
Premier Li assured the prime minister of China’s readiness to enhance economic cooperation, expand trade and encourage greater investments from China to Pakistan.
The two premiers also discussed in detail bilateral matters, while agreeing that Pakistan and China would not allow anyone to harm the time-tested all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.
Shehbaz Sharif thanked China for its firm support to Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national development and reaffirmed his government’s unwavering support to China on all issues of its core interest.
The PM also affirmed his government’s firm resolve to fast-track both the ongoing as well as the 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.
PM Shehbaz underscored the need for both sides to work together and enhance cooperation between the concerned agencies of the two countries to fully operationalize the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) at an early date.
Recalling Pakistan-China sister-city partnerships, he expressed his desire to learn from the experience of those Chinese officials who had remained instrumental in setting up SEZs in their provinces.
He also expressed his commitment to working with renewed zeal and enthusiasm, in concert with China, especially on projects of strategic significance for both the countries, such as the ML-1 project.
