Zubair Qureshi Islamabad
A four-member delegation of the China Media Group (CMG) led by Ms Wang Qianting (Urdu name: Musarrat) Thursday visited Margalla Railway Station of Islamabad and travelled to Rawalpindi in the Green Line Express’s railway coaches designed and manufactured by the Chinese Railway manufacturing Company Changchun Railway Vehicles Co (CRRC).
The other three members of the delegation included Hu Pingping (Noureen), Du Jianing (Tabsum) and Qin Shengrui (Tahir). Chief Digital Strategist of Pakistan Observer, Fahd Gauhar Malik along with Abdulla Gauhar Malik escorted the Chinese guests.
The Chinese delegation arrived in Islamabad on the invitation of Daily Pakistan observer in connection with the ‘Decade of CPEC Celebrations.” On the first day of their official engagements, they held meetings with senior media officials, stakeholders and the business leaders.
They also interviewed general public to learn about their views on the historic bond of friendship between China and Pakistan and about the 10th anniversary of the game changer project of Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) i.e. China Pakistan Economic Corridor.
However, the highlight of their visit was travel in the ‘Chinese’ coaches from Islamabad to the twin city of Rawalpindi. They found the interior of the coaches of international Earlier, upon their arrival at the Margalla Railway Station, the officials of the Pakistan Railways received them. In the Green Line Express which travels from Islamabad to Karachi, there are 10 Chinese coaches while another ten are added in Lahore. These are Business, AC Parlour, AC Standard & Economy class bogies with a total capacity of 1,028 passengers.
The train steamed off at its official time i.e. 3:00 p.m. The CMG delegation boarded the locomotive along with other passengers amidst much fanfare. It was indeed a rare occasion as the railway station staff had decorated the venue as well as the train with red and green balloons, reflecting the colours of the Chinese and the Pakistani flags. Ms Wiqar-un-Nisar, a senior official of the PR accompanied the guests all the 11-km distance while at the Rawalpindi Railway Station, too, DS Railway Inam Ullah Mehsud welcomed the visiting guests.
It gives me immense pleasure to receive you as it is a memorable occasion and both Pakistan and China are celebrating the completion of ten years of signing of the first MoU on CPEC. During these ten years, much development has already been carried out on the CPEC projects, said Inam Ullah. He hoped the work on ML-1 would also be completed on a fast-track.
While expressing pleasure on the occasion, the CMG delegation’s head, Ms Wang Qianting (Musarrat) said she was overwhelmed to find the warmth of love and affection by the Pakistani people.
“I am deeply touched to see people warmly welcoming us and speaking high of the Chinese people and the leadership,” she said. Pakistan, she said, was on the crossroads of history and I believe soon the country would overcome its challenges and an era of unparalleled progress and prosperity would usher in.
