Shehbaz Sharif planning China visit soon

Gwadar Pro

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is planning a visit to China at the earliest as part of Pakistan’s policy to take the Iron Brother into confidence whenever a new government takes over.

Shebaz Sharif took over as the Prime Minister last month from predecessor Imran Khan and has since vowed to accelerate speed of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects to “Pakistan Speed.”

Information Minister Mariam Aurangzeb told Gwadar Pro that China was among the top priorities of the PM.

“The PM is planning a visit to China soon. The dates will be finalised through the diplomatic channels in the near future,” she maintained.

She mentioned that PM Shehbaz Sharif had worked hard on the CPEC projects during his stint as the Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif earnings him the name “Punjab Speed.”

Aurangzeb underscored that CPEC was the lifeline for Pakistan and the government was committed to complete all the CPEC projects on time.

She acknowledged that China had always stood with Pakistan through the thick and thin.

Earlier, ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said PM Sharif will take CPEC forward with new vigour, vitality and in a rejuvenated manner, ensuring multifaceted development of the flagship project of China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

“In the first day in office as Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif met the Chinese Acting Ambassador and told her that Pakistan considers China as Pakistan’s closest friend and strongest partner and we will take the CPEC forward with new vigour, with new vitality and in a rejuvenated manner,” he observed.

The Senator remarked that China had a very old and long standing relationship with Shehbaz Sharif.

When the BRI was launched, the CPEC was its centrepiece, and that was taken forward by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shehbaz Sharif was then the chief minister of Punjab, he recalled.

Mushahid said that under the new government, there would be a broad based acceleration in the Pakistan-China relations in all domains.

“China is number one, in terms of a foreign policy priority, which the prime minister made clear when he listed the list of countries and his formulation has been very warmly welcomed in China. So, we have no doubt,” he added.

Mushahid stressed that China is the only country for which there is across-the-board national consensus, and the entire political leadership considers it to be Pakistan’s number one friend.