ISLAMABAD – All mainstream political parties in Pakistan showcased solid consensus in support of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), with leaders reaffirming their steadfast commitment to strengthen bilateral ties between Islamabad and Beijing.
Leaders of key political parties flocked at CPEC Pakistan-China Political Parties Forum and 3rd Meeting of the CPEC Political Parties Joint Consultative Mechanism, co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) and member of the Communist Party’s Central Committee, who is on a three-day visit in Islamabad.
The forum saw participation of Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, and senior leaders from all major political parties, including Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, MQM’s Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Maulana Fazlur Rehman of JUI-F, Hina Rabbani Khar of PPP, Senator Syed Ali Zafar of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Munazza Hassan of Istehkam Pakistan Party, National Party’s Senator Jan Muhammad, senior politician Afrasiab Khattak, among others.
Deputy PM Ishaq Dar highlighted CPEC’s key role in Pakistan’s socioeconomic development, acknowledging that it alleviated chronic issue of load-shedding and created numerous employment opportunities, leaving a lasting impact on the Pakistani populace.
Dar further recalled PM Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit to Beijing, where both sides agreed on the execution of the second phase of CPEC and signed agreements for third-party participation. He also stressed Pakistan’s commitment to fostering people-to-people connections, underscoring the mutual support between the two nations.
Minister termed CPEC a crucial component of Pak-China economic and strategic ties, highlighting unanimous agreement on its significance in driving Pakistan’s socioeconomic progress and regional connectivity. He noted that second phase of flagship project focuses on high-quality development, prioritizing sectors such as agriculture, information technology, industry, and mineral resources.
Chinese Minister praises PM Sharif’s Visit for Strengthening China-Pakistan Ties
Chinese Minister Liu Jianchao praised the agreements signed during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit, which he termed “very successful,” as they elevated bilateral ties and signaled to the world the unbreakable nature of the China-Pakistan friendship. Liu highlighted the 5Es introduced by Pakistan’s government, which offer significant opportunities for collaboration between the two peoples to promote a shared destiny.
Liu emphasized the importance of party-to-party relations in bilateral ties, urging parties to apply their wisdom to actualize the blueprint by understanding each other’s development philosophies. He announced that IDCPC would invite 300 Pakistani parliamentarians to China over the next three years and provide scholarships and vocational training to Pakistani youth. Addressing the negative impacts of Western social media on young people’s perception of bilateral relations, he said China would invite media personnel annually to foster better mutual understanding.
Liu reiterated China’s commitment to building an upgraded version of CPEC, emphasizing the enduring solidarity between China and Pakistan to forge a stronger and more solid all-weather strategic partnership.
Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal described CPEC as a beacon of stability, regional integration, and economic interdependence. He highlighted the strategic importance of Gwadar Port, which offers China direct access to the Arabian Sea and promises economic revitalization for Pakistan. Iqbal explained that Phase II of CPEC aims to boost Pakistan’s manufacturing capacity through industrial cooperation, attract Chinese investment, and relocate industrial units to Special Economic Zones.
Iqbal also noted the agreement between the two countries to modernize Pakistan’s agricultural sector with advanced technologies and extend cooperation to B2B links, industrial collaboration, science and technology, artificial intelligence, and offshore oil and gas exploration.
He assured that the government is committed to ensuring the security of Chinese personnel working in Pakistan, with measures in place to provide foolproof security and continuous updates being shared with the Chinese Embassy regarding these efforts.
