Pakistan desires stronger partnership with China: PM Shehbaz

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while underlining the significance of China in Pakistan’s foreign policy, has reaffirmed the government’s resolve to deepen the Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.

The prime minister was talking to a Chinese delegation, which called on him here on Thursday. The delegation was led by Cheng Guoping, China’s External Security Commissioner, who called on PM Shehbaz Sharif.

The PM affirmed his 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 realise its high quality development.

The PM also expressed his commitment to work with renewed zeal and enthusiasm, in concert with China, especially on projects of strategic significance for both the countries, such as ML-1 project. Shehbaz said the 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 PM reiterated his strong condemnation of 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 16 April 2022, the PM affirmed that Pakistan was committed to providing the highest level of safety and security of 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 PM, 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 the firm resolve to eradicate this menace. Cheng Guoping said that 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 lawyer leaders’ delegation called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here on Thursday. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar and Attorney General for Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf were also present.

The delegation comprised Supreme Court Bar Association President Ahsan Bhoon, Pakistan Bar Council Chairman Hafeezur Rehman, Lahore High Court Bar Association President Akbar Dogar, Punjab Bar Council Chairman Jaffar Tayyar, Islamabad Bar Council Chairman Qamar Sabzwari, Syed Qalbe Hassan, Amjad Shah, Masood Chishti, Abid Saqi and others.

The PM, while thanking the senior elected leaders of lawyer community over their trust in the government, said lawyers were the country’s great asset. He said the government would extend all possible cooperation to lawyers in performing their professional duties. He directed the law minister to immediately start working for amendments to the Lawyers Protection Act and the Bar Council Act.

The lawyer leaders, while felicitating Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on assuming the office, said the legal fraternity, which had always been playing its role in strengthening the country’s democratic institutions, would continue to do so in future as well. The lawyer leaders appreciated the role of judiciary in the resolution of constitutional crisis and hoped that the government, in line with expectations of masses, would take care of the economy.