ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday said that terrorists made a failed attempt to strike on the basis of the Pakistan-China friendship and vowed that their malicious intentions cannot sabotage the friendship between the two countries.

Bilawal, who sworn in as Pakistan’s youngest Foreign Minister at the age of 33, paid a visit to Embassy of China in Islamabad soon after assuming the charge of his office, where he expressed condolences with the government and people of China over loss of lives in the terrorist attack on Chinese residents in Karachi on Thursday.

The foreign minister was accompanied by Minister of State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar. He expressed sorrow over the loss of lives in the terrorist attack on Chinese residents in Karachi. “The relationship between Pakistan and China is a series of loyalty across generations,” Bilawal said, adding that the terrorists made a failed attempt to strike on the basis of the Pakistan-China friendship.

He vowed that the malicious intentions of terrorists cannot sabotage Pakistan-China friendship. The foreign minister also recorded his impressions in a guest book at the Chinese Embassy.

Earlier in the day, Bilawal assumed the charge of his office as the youngest 37th Foreign Minister of the country. Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood welcomed him at the Foreign Office.

Following assuming the charge, Bilawal interacted with senior officers of the Foreign Office. The Foreign Secretary was also present at the meeting. Senior officers of the Foreign Office briefed Bilawal on Pakistan’s relations with the rest of the world.

Earlier, Bilawal was sworn in at the age of 33 years, seven months and six days. His grandfather late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was 35 years, five months and 10 days old when he was sworn in as the foreign minister while Hina Rabbani Khar was 33 years, eight months and one day old.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022