Shehri TV – Pakistan News, Current Affairs, Entertainment

  By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) Prime Minister Imran Khan has declared that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was a transformational project and reiterated Pakistan’s strong commitment for timely completion of the CPEC projects.  The Prime Minister expressed these views when he met the newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Nong Rong, at Islamabad on November 11. “The Prime Minister congratulated the Ambassador on his appointment and extended best wishes for a fruitful term,” the statement issued by PM Office noted.  The premier also accentuated the significance of special economic zones (SEZs), relocation of industry, and improved productivity in agriculture sector.  The Chinese envoy on the occasion expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Imran Khan and reassured China’s support in completion of CPEC projects and enhancement in industrialization and agricultural sector in Pakistan.

  By Masood Sattar Khan      (Pakistan News & Features Services) The new Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Nong Rong, has assumed his responsibilities and met with senior government officials in Islamabad on November 2.  During a meeting with the Foreign Secretary, Sohail Mahmood, Ambassador Nong Rong reaffirmed the strong commitment of his country to Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.  The Foreign Secretary hoped that projects under the China Pakistan economic Corridor (CPEC) would be completed on fast-track.  Ambassador Nong Rong also presented a copy of his credentials to Zahoor Hassan, Director General of the Protocol Department at Foreign Ministry.  "It is a great honour to be the ambassador at a critical moment in future development of China-Pakistan relations,” the ambassador remarked.

  By Masood Sattar Khan   (Pakistan News & Features Services) The newly designated Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Nong Rong, is scheduled to meet President Dr Arif Alvi next week to present his credentials and deliver an important message from President Xi Jinping.  The first non-career diplomat for Pakistan for 40 years, Nong Rong assumed his assignment in Islamabad last week and had important meetings with senior top officers, including that of the Foreign Office.  He has brought a special message of goodwill of Chinese President Xi Jinping for the government and people of Pakistan that he would deliver to the President Dr Arif Alvi.  Ambassador Nong Rong has been dealing in foreign trade and economic affairs for the past three decades besides in various capacities. He, however, was never associated with the Chinese Foreign Office but he’s known to be having tremendous skill of negotiating and comprehending trade and economic matters.  Nong Rong, 53,...

  By Masood Sattar Khan   (Pakistan News & Features Services) The Orange Line Metro Train, developed with financial and technical assistance of China, is scheduled to be inaugurated by the Punjab Chief Minister, Usman Buzdar, at Lahore on October 25.  For the auspicious occasion, the new Chinese Ambassador, Rong Nong who arrived in Pakistan a couple of days ago, has also been invited.  The metro train for the public will be available from October 26. A fare of Rupees 40 has been fixed initially and it will be reviewed after six months. The metro train will cover 27-km distance in 45 minutes. In the first phase, the train would start operation from 7 in the morning and end operation at 8 in night. A team of Chinese experts has imparted training to Pakistani train drivers and other associated staff.  The commissioning of metro train has fulfilled another project launched under the auspices of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

  By Masood Sattar Khan  (Pakistan News & Features Services) The local olive harvest cultivation in the country during the current season is projected to cross 11,000 tons, showing a significant development towards reducing reliance on the imported edible oil as well as to exploit the export potential of this particular agriculture produce. “The country is expecting to extract about 13,000 tons of extra virgin olive worth millions of dollars that would help to boost the farm income with less investment and use of inputs,” Project Director of Olive Cultivation on Commercial Scale in Pakistan, Dr Muhammad Tariq, disclosed in an interview.  He pointed out that olive has been successfully cultivated over 27,000 hectares of land across the country and it was set to extend its cultivation to over 70,000 hectares to turn the marginal lands into productive for enhancing the income of small scale growers.  Under the olive cultivation project the farmers were provided abou...

  By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) The Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Yao Jing, remained convinced that Pakistan-China friendship was much above the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).  "CPEC is not the whole thing. We were friends even before the CPEC. There is no doubt CPEC has strengthened the bonds further but the brotherhood is much above a project," he said to a loud applause by the journalists who had come to say good-bye to a friend of Pakistan.  Ambassador Yao has completed his tenure in Pakistan and will soon leave for Beijing. He has been replaced with the nomination of Nong Rong, Head of Ethnic Affairs Commission of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region  Speaking at the farewell reception, with an emotional and victorious voice, the senior diplomat remarked that CPEC could not be stopped or delayed on the wishes of the conspirators.  "Yes, there are conspiracies but CPEC is going on smoothly. I am very satisfied with...

  By Masood Sattar Khan   (Pakistan News & Features Services) China has decided to assist Pakistan in developing dates processing plants and onion cold storages in Southern Balochistan  The consensus was reached when the Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Syed Fakhar Imam, had a farewell meeting with the outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Yao Jing, on September 18.  The minister appreciated Ambassador Yao Jing for his contributions in further fostering bilateral ties between the two brotherly countries.  Fakhar Imam acknowledged the need of expanding the friendly relations between the two Asian nations and reiterated the importance Pakistan attaches to its relations with the People’s Republic of China.  The Federal Minister stated that the high level visits from both sides have opened up new horizons for our bilateral cooperation, particularly in the field of agriculture.  He hailed the appointment of an Agricultural Co...

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) Nong Rong has been appointed as China’s new Ambassador to Pakistan, according to an announcement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing on September 11.  A native of Guangxi, Nong Rong was holding the post of provincial minister before being named as the Ambassador to Pakistan.  He holds vast experience in trade that would greatly help in implementation of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects on fast track.  His predecessor Yao Jing is scheduled to return to Beijing a couple of months before the completion of his three-year tenure to assume new responsibility in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) Prime Minister Imran Khan will specially participate at the signing ceremony of development of Rashakai Special Economic Zone in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa next week.  The Rashakai SEZ, being developed under the auspices of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), is spread over one thousand acres and is located on M-1 Nowshera.  It would be developed in three phases. It will house garment, textile industries, building materials, different merchandise, electric and electronic equipment, automobile and mechanical units.

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) Former President Asif Ali Zardari, has asserted that China was a true friend of Pakistan, having provided selfless help to Pakistan's economic development and social progress over the years. "The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), proposed by President Xi Jinping is far-sighted. The construction of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) promotes Pakistan’s development and prosperity and improves people’s livelihood,” the former President expressed these views while meeting with the Chinese Ambassador, Yao Jing, at Islamabad on September 10. “The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) firmly supports the BRI as well as the CPEC. Our party hopes to strengthen the exchange of experience in party governance with the Communist Party of China and promote the continuous development of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic partnership,” Asif Zardari remarked.  Earlier the former President and co-chairman of...

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) Pakistan Railways is set to invite the much awaited tenders for its mega Mainline-One (ML-1) project from September 12. It’s one of the major projects being undertaken in the multi-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).  “We are going to open the international tenders of the ML-1 on September 12. It is good news for the Pakistan Railways. The railways management will simultaneously initiate the publicity of this mega project which it believes is the only way to revive the ailing public sector corporation,” Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, the Minister for Railways, announced in a press briefing at Lahore where Pakistan Railways is headquartered.  It was revealed that the bidding documents for USD 6.8 billion have already been finalized and the documents titled ‘Upgradation of ML-1’ have been divided into three separate packages.

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) Defence Minister, Pervaiz Khattak, has urged Japan to make investment in mutually beneficial projects, particularly those under the auspices of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).  He expressed these views when he met the Japanese Ambassador in Pakistan, Kuninori Matsuda, at Islamabad on September 10.  He specifically urged Japan to make investment in maritime and industrial manufacturing sectors to help promote industrial activities through mutual benefit partnership.

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) Pakistan Railways has three Main Line projects by the name of ML-1, ML-2 and ML-3 and the upgradation of all these will be carried out in phases under the auspices of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).  The first phase upgradation and doubling of 1872 Kilometers long ML-1 starts from Karachi and will pass through country's major cities and culminate in Peshawar.  However, it will pass through Havalian dry port to be built with an estimated cost of USD 40 million.  The distance between Havalian to Kashi (China) by railway is around 1,059 kilometers. This railway connection between Pakistan and China would be the shortest and most convenient particularly for traders of the two countries.  There is an alternate scheme of Gwadar Port passage that will connect Gwadar with Karachi to facilitate goods services.  Meanwhile, the Railways Minister, Shaikh Rashid Ahmed, has ...

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) A group of diplomats and experts on foreign relations from Pakistan and Iran have called for cooperation between Iran’s Chabahar and Pakistan’s Gwadar ports that would bring prosperity and enhance ties between the two neighbouring countries. The diplomats and experts expressed the views during the webinar on the subject of Iran-Pakistan Economic Partnership in the Post-Corona era which was hosted by Golden Ring Economic Federation (GREF) in Lahore with the cooperation of the embassy of Iran.  The speakers from Iran called for the use of the capacity of regional economic cooperation organizations, including ECO, and said that the Islamic Republic of Iran was ready to join the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).  The Pakistani experts stressed the importance of Iran’s joining CPEC project, saying that it would strengthen the long-term cooperation between Tehran and Beijing.  At the ...

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) A number of important topics were discussed and agreed upon during the foreign ministers' level meeting held between Pakistan and China at Hannan, China, on August 21.  The two sides will continue to firmly advance the construction of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), ensure timely completion of those projects under construction, focus on economic and social development, job creation and improvement of people’s livelihood, and further strengthen cooperation in Specialized Economic Zones.  They will also be extending cooperation in industrial relocation, science and technology, medical and health, human resources training, poverty alleviation, and agriculture with the aim to continuously unleash the great potential of CPEC to make it a hub of regional connectivity.  Both sides expressed satisfaction on agreements reached on recent mega energy projects and look forward to convenin...

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, has arrived Beijing on August 20 for a two-day official visit to China.  At the Beijing Airport, the Foreign Minister was welcomed by Ambassador Moin-ul-Haque besides other senior Pakistani and Chinese officials.  Shah Mahmood Qureshi will meet his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, and hold talks to be focused on various fields including various projects under the second phase of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) The Federal Railways Minister, Shaikh Rashid Ahmed, has announced that the new track for the much talked about Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) will be laid within four months.  Addressing a press conference the Railways Minister pointed out that the Mainline 1 (ML-1) project, being implemented under the auspices of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), was a very significant one and, after its implementation, the Pakistan Railways will enter into a modern era.  To a political question, Shaikh Rashid, known for his farsightedness, asserted that the present government will complete its constitutional tenure of five years.

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) The Chinese Ambassador, Yao Jin, has highly lauded Pakistan's role in ensuring regional peace and stability.  Addressing a webinar organized by Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies, Ambassador Yao Jin pointed out that priority was being given to socio-economic development in the second phase of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).  It is pertinent to note that in the second phase basic emphasis is to be paid to poverty alleviation, industrial development and basic health services.  Ambassador Yao Jin said that the two-way exchange of delegations and CPEC scholarships played an important role in human resource development.

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) The Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Yao Jin, has declared that as many as 90 percent local laborers will be recruited in projects under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).  China fully supports Pakistan's government human resource development programs, he said.  The Chinese Ambassador expressed these views when he met with the Federal Education Minister, Shafqat Mahmood, who was also thrilled with the success of the CPEC which was further strengthening the friendship between Pakistan and China.  The Education Minister stated that the National Vocational and Training Commission will establish liaison through the CPEC Authority with the Chinese companies for recruitment of Pakistani workforce.

By Masood Sattar Khan (Pakistan News & Features Services) Prime Minister Imran Khan on August 17 reviewed the progress made so far on the Pakistan Railways ML-1 project, one of the major components of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).  The meeting deliberated upon the timelines set for its implementation and the benefits to be reaped from the project.  The high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan was attended amongst others by Minister for Railways, Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad, Minister for Planning, Asad Umar, Adviser on Finance, Abdul Hafeez Shaikh. and Chairman, CPEC Authority, Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa.