Pakistan, China to upgrade strategic ties

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Pakistan and China, having enjoyed decades of brotherly relations, have reiterated their resolve to upgrade all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries and take it to new heights while giving a thrust to key areas of economic, trade and defence. 

The two neighbouring countries have agreed to form a joint mechanism for curbing terrorism and poverty, increasing exports, creating jobs and promoting education.

They have also expressed convergence of opinion that social and economic development would be an important area under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) cooperation between the two countries. 

Addressing a joint press conference, with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Islamabad on September 8, after their delegation-level talks, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, remarked both countries were supporting each other on various international fora and shared common principles on different international and regional issues, asserting that enhancing the all-weather strategic partnership with China is the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy. 

“CPEC will remain a priority for the government. It’s a proof of how seamless the Belt and Road initiative can become with the help of all stakeholders. We are proud of Pakistan and China's friendship which has withstood every test," he assured. 

“CPEC has not inflicted a debt burden on Pakistan, rather when these projects get completed and enter into operation, they will unleash huge economic benefit and these will create considerable returns to the Pakistani economy. This has helped increase the economic growth by 1-2 percent and has contributed 70,000 jobs in Pakistan,” the Chinese Foreign Minister stated. 

"China will give a lot of sustenance to encourage imports from Pakistan. We have decided to strive for a greater balance in the two-way trade. China will earmark subsidiaries to encourage imports from Pakistan and will send more coalition teams to Pakistan. We will also broaden the market access to Pakistan's competitive agricultural products," he added. 

The delegation level talks took place at the Foreign Office where the visiting Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, accompanied by three ministerial level representatives, met with Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Imran Khan invited as guest of honour at China International Import Expo

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

China has extended an invitation to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan to be the guest of honour at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) due to be staged in Shanghai from November 5 to 10, 2018. 

The Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, met his Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in Islamabad on September 8where he extended invitation to Prime Minister Imran Khan to be the guest of honour at the CIIE. 

China and Pakistan also agreed to strengthen the strategic cooperation in a one-on-one meeting between the two Foreign Ministers.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesman, Dr Muhammad Faisal, informed the delegation-level talks between the two delegations led by the two foreign ministers were also held at the Foreign Office. 

"Chinese State Councillor Yi underscored Beijing’s firm support to Pakistan’s socioeconomic progress and development," the FO spokesperson said. 

"China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), economic cooperation, cultural and educational exchanges and regional situation were discussed during the meeting," the spokesperson added. 

Shah Mahmood Qureshi assured the Chinese minister of his country’s support of CPEC, reassuring that it was important for Pakistan’s socio-economic development. 

China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, is on a three-day visit to Islamabad during which he is scheduled to meet the President, the Prime Minister, the National Assembly Speaker and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

Chinese FM Wang Yi arriving Islamabad

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be arriving Pakistan on September 7 to hold talks with the country’s new leadership to consolidate cooperation and elevate the all-weather bilateral strategic partnership.

Announcing Wang’s visit, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told the media that besides holding talks with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, he would also meet top leaders of the new Pakistan government and exchange views on bilateral ties, regional and international issues of mutual interest. 

“This is the first high-level visit between the two sides after the establishment of the new government in Pakistan. We hope that through the visit the two sides could consolidate our traditional friendship, all-round cooperation and elevate China-Pakistan all-weather strategic and cooperative partnership,” she said when asked about China’s expectations from the visit from September 7 to 9.

“China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic and cooperative partners. We are good neighbours, good friends and good brothers. Our bilateral ties have been developing with sound momentum. We have frequent high-level exchanges, practical cooperation moving forward and rich outcomes from the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC),” Hua observed. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping on September had congratulated Pakistan’s newly-elected President Arif Alvi, saying the strategic significance of the bilateral ties is “more prominent under the current circumstances” and both sides should support each other “more staunchly”.

Pakistan’s foreign missions circulate procedure of internet voting

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Pakistan’s foreign missions abroad have circulated for the benefit of expatriates’ information how to cast their vote in upcoming bye-elections through internet voting.

In this connection, Pakistan’s Embassy in Beijing, in a press release, stated that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is conducting overseas voting through internet voting process in the upcoming bye-polls of 37 constituencies slated for October 14. 

The Pakistanis, living abroad, can cast their vote online in these respective constituencies from anywhere across the world using internet device. 

The non-resident Pakistanis, eligible for voting, are those possessing National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistan (NICOP) and Pakistan‘s Machine Readable Passport (MRP) besides having voter registration in the constituencies in which bye elections are being held. 

The list of the constituencies along with detailed mechanism of Internet voting is also available on the website of the ECP. 

It further advised that all the overseas voters belonging to these constituencies are required to get themselves registered between September 1 and 15 online at https//www.ecp.gov.pk or http//www.overseasvoting.gov.pk to cast their vote.