ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Sunday said that Pakistan and China have agreed to hold a meeting of Afghanistan’s neighbours in Beijing at the end of March, besides deciding to reactivate the trilateral forum of Pakistan, China and Afghanistan.
The Foreign Minister, along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, was talking to journalists at Nur Khan Airbase at the conclusion of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s China visit. Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood and National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf were also present.
The Foreign Minister said that Prime Minister Khan held “very comprehensive” meetings with the Chinese leadership and reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, besides discussing future prospects of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CEPC), economic integration, and the next phase of the CPEC.
“Without any hesitation, I must say that the meetings were held extensively and with much clarity,” he maintained.
During the delegation-level talks, and meeting with Chinese premier Li, he added, they discussed ways and means to move on the economic front, enhance market access, bridge the trade imbalance and increase Chinese investment in different areas in the country.
He said that that they have identified areas where the Chinese companies could get benefits through investment. “These are the win-win projects”, he maintained, adding that they have conveyed the economic prospects to the Chinese companies through a well-prepared booklet.
Important decisions taken on Afghanistan during China visit: Qureshi
He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan also held meetings with around 20 prominent state-owned and private companies in which their authorities identified interests over investment in key areas of Pakistan.
Qureshi said that the Prime Minister also shared Pakistan’s perspective over a host of issues during his interaction with the renowned think tanks in China.
To advance the shared objectives of economic progress and prosperity and bilateral cooperation, he added that the two sides also devised a follow-up mechanism. “We have received greetings and warmth more than our expectations. China has a clear direction in which Pakistan has a prominent position,” Qureshi further maintained.
On Afghanistan, he said that both the countries shared unanimous opinion and Pakistan’s contributions towards Afghan humanitarian assistance were acknowledged by China.
He said that the Chinese leadership described the holding of the extraordinary session of OIC on Afghanistan in Islamabad on December 19, 2021 as a successful one.
During his meeting with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, Qureshi said that they agreed to meet again in Beijing in March, adding that the immediate neighbours of Afghanistan would also be invited to a meeting including Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, etc.
He said that the two sides also decided to reactivate the trilateral forum of Pakistan, China and Afghanistan which would be further strengthened for coordination over Afghanistan.
The Foreign Minister said Afghan interim foreign minister Amir Khan Mutaqi will also be invited to the meeting so that he could present his government’s perspective of the situations in Afghanistan.
He said that Pakistan is concerned over India’s treatment of minorities, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Dalits as their human rights were being trampled.
He said that Pakistan and China shared same opinion and there was no ambiguity over the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) issue in the talks.
During the splendid opening ceremony of Beijing Winter Olympics, he said that the Pakistani athletes were warmly received by the Chinese people, which reflected that ‘this friendship was people-centric, as people in both countries regarded each other as brothers and friends.’ In his remarks, Fawad Chaudhry said that the government will bring a complete framework to introduce winter sports in the country. He regretted that Pakistan despite having beautiful landscape of Northern areas is far behind in the winter Olympics.
Referring to political developments, he said meeting of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership in Lahore on Saturday was aimed at protecting their own “vested interests”, adding that the opposition parties had held several long marches in the past, ‘but they have always failed.’
He maintained that during the meetings between Pakistan and Chinese leaderships, the Chinese side appreciated government’s economic reforms and fiscal discipline.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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