ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday Pakistan and China could further strengthen bilateral relations while hosting a luncheon in honor of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in attendance.
China and Pakistan have enjoyed a longstanding relationship, marked by strategic cooperation in trade, defense and infrastructure development. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a centerpiece of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, aims to transform the region’s economic geography by enhancing physical connectivity and positioning Pakistan as a key player in Central Asian trade through its sea routes.
As both nations embark on CPEC 2.0, the focus has shifted toward industrialization, socio-economic development and energy projects, reflecting their mutual quest to further expand bilateral cooperation and boost regional integration.
“During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral strategic cooperation in key sectors such as economy, investment and regional connectivity,” the state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency said.
“The President said that friendship with China is a cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy and stressed the importance of exploring new avenues for collaboration,” it added. “He noted that there is still room to further expand Pakistan-China relations.”
The Chinese premier, along with ministers and government officials, arrived in Pakistan on Monday.
His visit comes at a time when Pakistan is hosting the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit.
The Pakistani president expressed his heartfelt condolences over the killing of two Chinese nationals in a deadly suicide attack in Karachi in the lead-up to the summit, calling it a painful incident for the entire nation.
He maintained that enemies of Pakistan-China friendship were targeting Chinese citizens to damage bilateral relations and disrupt CPEC projects, adding they would not succeed in their plans.
He also assured the Chinese premier Pakistan was committed to ensuring that the perpetrators of the crime were brought to justice.
Pakistan president hosts luncheon for Chinese PM, calls for further strengthening of ties
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Pakistan president hosts luncheon for Chinese PM, calls for further strengthening of ties
- The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral strategic cooperation in key sectors
- President Zardari offered condolences over the killing of Chinese nationals in a suicide attack in Karachi
India formally charges militant groups, six individuals over April Pahalgam tourist attack
- The attack killed 26 tourists and triggered the worst fighting between India and Pakistan in decades
- India has charged Lashkar-e-Taiba, The Resistance Front and six people, three of whom have been killed
SRINAGAR: India’s anti-terrorism agency on Monday charged militant Islamist groups based in Pakistan and six individuals over an April attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 men, and triggered intense fighting between the two countries.
The fighting, the worst between the nuclear-armed neighbors in decades, was sparked when militants opened fire on Hindu tourists in the Pahalgam region of Kashmir. New Delhi said the attack was backed by Pakistan, allegations which Islamabad has denied.
Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its offshoot The Resistance Front (TRF) were charged for their alleged role in “planning, facilitating, and executing the Pahalgam attack,” according to a statement from India’s anti-terrorism agency.
Three men killed by Indian security forces during Operation Mahadev in July in Srinagar, who were claimed to be Pakistani nationals, were charged posthumously, according to the statement. Another two men already in custody were charged, and a man accused of being a Pakistani terrorist handler.
A spokesperson for Pakistan’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
The 1,597-page document was filed before a special court in the Jammu region of India, and contained the first formal charges over the attack.
The NIA traced the conspiracy to Pakistan during a probe that lasted eight months, the statement said, adding that the LeT and TRF, along with the six men, were charged with waging war against India.
